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How to Win the World Cup

Secrets and Insights from International Football’s Top Managers

Chris Evans

$42.95

Paperback

Forthcoming
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English
Bloomsbury Sport
07 May 2026
'A brilliant new perspective' – Jamie Carragher

'Superb’ – Daniel Taylor

WITH NEW AND UPDATED CONTENT FOR THE 2026 WORLD CUP

THIS INSIGHTFUL INVESTIGATION REVEALS THE MINDSETS AND UNBELIEVABLE APPROACHES OF THE COACHES SEEKING FOOTBALL'S ULTIMATE PRIZE

Godlike geniuses or the focus of a disappointed nation's fury – the world's most prestigious tournament makes or breaks national coaches. Only 20 managers have guided their team to World Cup glory, so what are their secrets? From revolutionary tactics to hare-brained schemes, this book searches for the keys to the most exclusive club in international football.

They may silently plot on the bench or manically gesticulate from the sidelines, but what can coaches really do to influence their team's performance? Discover the tactical innovations and brilliant strategies as well as the bizarre superstitions, psychological masterclasses and bonkers team-building regimes that managers have employed in the quest for that iconic trophy.

Charting the successes, failures, dramas and controversies of over 90 years of World Cup action through the insights of World Cup stars including Alexi Lalas, Carlos Alberto Parreira, Pierre Littbarski, Roberto Martinez and Mick McCarthy, this book reveals the lengths the men in the dugouts will go to in order to bring home the greatest prize.
By:  
Imprint:   Bloomsbury Sport
Country of Publication:   United Kingdom
Dimensions:   Height: 198mm,  Width: 129mm, 
ISBN:   9781472990747
ISBN 10:   1472990749
Pages:   304
Publication Date:  
Audience:   General/trade ,  ELT Advanced
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming
Foreword Prologue 1. A Different World (International Management) 2. Starting from the Bottom (Minnows) 3. Facing an Apocalypse (Qualification) 4. In the Line of Duty (Danger) 5. Hosting the Party (Hosts) 6. A Race Against Time (Late Appointments) 7. The History Boys (First Times) 8. Select Your Weapons (Team Selection) 9. Picking a General (Captains) 10. A Home From Home (Atmosphere) 11. A Shot in the Balls (Big Incidents) 12. Don't Mention the War (Rivalries) 13. Miracle Workers (Underdogs) 14. Now or Never (Golden Generation) 15. Managing the Impossible (Enigmas) 16. Finding an Edge (Big Games) 17. Managers on the Spot (Penalties) 18. Becoming Champion (Final) 19. The Winner's Curse (Retaining) Epilogue

Chris Evans is a freelance writer and the editor of TheSetPieces.com. His work has appeared in the Guardian, Independent, FourFourTwo magazine and Daily Telegraph. Chris is the author of Gary Lineker: A Portrait of a Football Icon. @ChrisEvansWrite

Reviews for How to Win the World Cup: Secrets and Insights from International Football’s Top Managers

Superbly insightful … A brilliant new perspective on World Cup management -- Jamie Carragher Superb – great stories about the greatest tournament -- Daniel Taylor A fascinating read -- Barry Davies If you like a rich and rewarding football read, look no further -- Patrick Barclay Detailed, humorous, extensively researched and very difficult to put down -- Terry Butcher A wonderful look into the beautiful game and the quest to unlock the secret to winning its ultimate prize -- Alexi Lalas An incisive analysis of “the beautiful game” at its highest levels… a must-read for soccer fans * Publishers Weekly * Evans takes 19 aspects of both management and the World cup itself (penalty shoot-outs, qualifying, tactics, star players), unearths a succession of stories... and sprinkles them with interviewees. -- John Aizlewood * The i * Insight into how simply punching above one's weight in the qualifying stages is a world cup victory in itself. * When Saturday Comes * Superbly insightful... a brilliant new perspective * talkSport * Evans has spoken to an impressive and eclectic cast of characters with vast experience in the international game. The quality and calibre of those who offer their perspectives in the book really make it stand out … It serves as both a study in how to manage an international time and also a reflection on why international football is so special. * All Sport Book Reviews * ...fascinating * BBC Radio 5 Live *


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