Sport is the greatest pastime in the world. Soccer is the greatest, and most popular, sport.
Every fan knows that the epitome of soccer excitement builds through a four-year cycle, a process of preparation and qualification, culminating in the World Cup. What memories this tournament gives us. The brilliance of Pele, the craft of Cruyff. Zidane headbutting his Italian opponent in the final itself. The thrill of the minnow defeating a giant of the soccer playing world.
We all have our favourite moments. Our celebration of the World Cup shares ten of them. The day Oleg Salenko scored five; that astonishing, unbelievable save from Gordon Banks, the outrageous dummy against Uruguay from the finest player of all time, Johann Cruyff releasing his unstoppable, jaw dropping turn to the despair of Sweden and the joy of the world. Then there is the other side of soccer - the disgrace of the battle of Santiago in 1962. Chest recalls one of the greatest free kicks of all time, and the eleven second implosion of South Korea in the play-off of 2002. Collapses continue as Brazil concede seven to Germany in 2014 and, for balance, he recalls the beauty, skill, power and perfection of the Brazil team of 1970 - surely still the finest side to lift the Jules Rimet trophy.
Finally, no recollection of any World Cup can be complete without that mixture of miscreant and maestro that is Diego Maradona, and his ten minutes of mayhem against England in 1986. Firstly, a moment of outrageous cheating followed so soon after by complete, incomprehensible, brilliance.
But Chest Dugger is a coach at heart, and he knows that a World Cup brings an opportunity for coaches and players alike. Every sport is at its most popular during and after its primary international competition. How many golfers get their clubs out after Augusta? How many budding stars pick up their rackets after Wimbledon? The legacy of an Olympic Games is an uptake in sporting activity. Soccer is popular enough not to need such a boost, nevertheless one always follows a World Cup.
'World Cup Soccer Drills' uses this opportunity to provide coaching drills, practices, techniques, games and tips to enhance players' thrill of the game. Players and coaches can use this book to replicate the finest moments of World Cup history, at the same time, honing their own skills and technique.
This book is for coaches and for players. It is for parents wanting to get their kids active and playing sport, and for boys and girls who may be too young to remember many past World Cups, but whose interest has been spiked by global passion in the game.
Mostly, it is for people who adore soccer and love the World Cup, and the memories that tournament creates.
