Who Invented the Bicycle Kick?: Soccer’s Greatest Legends and Lore

There are some books you need to have on your shelf, or coffee table, or at least near at hand for when you need those split-second answers to questions that can quickly lead to shouting matches and the end of friendships. Who Invented the Bicycle Kick is one of those books; in fact once you’re done with this book, you should just go get yourself a copy.

Whether you’re an occasional soccer watcher or a full-on football fanatic, you often wonder when goalkeepers started wearing gloves, who has the weirdest superstitions before a game, why matches last 90 minutes, or who invented the bicycle? Paul Simpson, the launch editor for Four Four Two and Uli Hesse, a prevalent writer for ESPN FC, provide the answers and their research. In some cases – such as the eponymous question to the book – there isn’t a definitive answer, so the authors present the most likely candidates and theories.

Whether you intend on reading the book cover to cover or using the excellent table of contents or thorough index, your questions and wonderings on the subject of soccer will be quickly answered.