This is a complete guide to the beautiful game. This is the essential illustrated guide to football, charting more than 100 years of the game worldwide: the teams, the triumphs, the tragedies of the world's number-one sport. It includes fascinating profiles of the world's greatest players and personalities, with detailed biographies of star players past and present - from Alex James and George Best to Wayne Rooney. It also includes in-depth features on the top international clubs and national teams, including the dream teams in the history of the sport, and the championships of Europe, South America, Africa and Asia. It is illustrated with over 500 colour photographs and original archive material, this is essential reading for all football fans. This popular encyclopedia has been updated for 2009 to provide an up-to-the-minute profile of the beautiful game. The book charts the history of the global game and relives some of the magic with flashbacks to dream teams such as Arsenal in the 1930s and Brazil in the 70s.There are features on the World Cup finals and the major championships of Europe, South America, Africa and Asia and also profiles of stars such as Pele, Diego Maradona, Ronaldo and Luis Figo. Finally, the book looks at the world's leading club and international sides, and at the players and personalities that gave them their greatest eras. Full results of the 2008-9 season and the 2008 European Championship finals are included. Illustrated on every page with colour photographs and archive material, this is the ultimate reference guide for football fans everywhere.