The Most Incredible World Cup Stories

Once Pele said, ‘The World Cup is a very important way to measure the good players, and the great ones. It is a test of a great player’. Indeed, greatness goes hand in hand with the grandeur of this sporting event that, beyond the daily dose of human sufferings, has embraced humankind to show a parallel reality of life. The Most Incredible World Cup Stories traces the exhilarating journey of the biggest sporting contest through time immemorial—from its genesis to its more recent glories—with tales of grit, spirit and heroics in every turn of its long-trodden path. Far from listing out the number-heavy statistics, this book aims at digging up the narratives that became eternal subtexts in this phenomenal journey, where a game became a political statement, prides got tamed, revenge proved sweet and humiliation often cherished. Luciano has already unearthed numerous stories of sports, unveiling the myths behind, which have been read in 15 languages. This time he turns his gaze to the sport that has at times mattered more than life.

Luciano Wernicke

Luciano Wernicke was born in 1969 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. As a journalism graduate from the University of Salvador, he worked in the sports media such as the magazine El Gráfico and the newspaper Olé. He also taught journalism techniques and text composition at the Círculo de Periodistas Deportivos for about 20 years. In 2019, he was assistant to the Costa Rica National Football Team manager, Gustavo Matosas. Wernicke is the author of numerous books on sports such as The Most Incredible World Cup Stories, The Most Incredible Football Stories, Doctor and Champion, Duel Never Won (a comparative biography of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo), etc.