Uli Hesse

The first English language biography of German footballing superstar Franz Beckenbauer.

Germany did not have professional players or a national league until the 1960s, yet it became one of the most successful football nations in the world. Tor! (Goal!) traces the extraordinary story of Germany’s club and international football, from the days when it was regarded as a dangerously foreign pastime, through the horrors of the Nazi years to postwar triumphs and the crisis of the new century. Tor! challenges the myth that German football is ‘predictable’ or ‘efficient’ and brings to life the fascinating array of characters who shaped it: the betrayed pioneer Walther Bensemann; the enigmatic genius Sepp Herberger; the all-conquering Franz Beckenbauer; the modern misfit Lothar Matthäus. And even the radio commentator Herbert Zimmermann, whose ecstatic cries of ‘Tor!’ greeted the winning goal in the 1954 World Cup final and helped change a whole nation’s view of itself. Fully revised and updated ahead of the 2022 World Cup, Tor! is the definitive history of German football.

WINNER OF THE TELEGRAPH FOOTBALL BOOK OF THE YEAR 2019Towards the beginning of the twenty-first century, Borussia Dortmund were on the verge of going out of business. Now they are an international phenomenon - one of the most popular clubs and fastest-growing football brands in the world. Every fortnight, an incredible number of foreigners eschew their own clubs and domestic leagues and travel to Dortmund to watch football, while people from all corners of the world dream of doing the same - of standing on the largest terrace in the world, the Yellow Wall. How did this happen? How could a club that hasn't won a European trophy in twenty years so thoroughly capture people's imaginations? Building the Yellow Wall tells the story of Dortmund's roller-coaster ride from humble beginnings and lean decades to the revolution under Jürgen Klopp and subsequent amazing success and popularity. But it also tells the story of those people who have done as much for the club's profile as any player, coach or chairman - Dortmund's unique supporters.

‘MASTERFUL’ Raphael HonigsteinThe story of superclub Bayern Munich by the critically acclaimed author of Tor! Bayern Munich is a team of extremes. They are the most passionately supported club in Germany and the most hated. There is no doubt that they are the most successful. Winners of twenty-four domestic titles since the late 1960s, they have stood at the pinnacle of European football for almost their entire existence. Through interviews with the key protagonists, Uli Hesse tells the story of this unique club. From early run-ins with the Nazis to being dubbed FC Hollywood for their egocentric stars in the 1990s up to the sensational undercover appointment of the best coach in the world, Pep Guardiola, Hesse opens the doors on Bavaria’s superpower and takes you inside Bayern Munich.

"Chock-full of nifty tidbits about the game we love." -- New York TimesDiscover the ultimate collection of soccer's greatest lore and legends, illustrated with 100 black-and-white photos, by two of the world's most knowledgeable soccer journalists. Uli Hesse and editor Paul Simpson bring together the sublime feats, legendary personalities, neglected heroes, bizarre twists of fate, and fascinating mysteries that have shaped the world's most popular game, including: Who invented the bicycle kick? Why does a football match last 90 minutes? Who scored the fastest goal ever? Which match produced the largest number of red cards? Why are seven dead cats buried under a stadium in Argentina? Which country was banned from the World Cup after refusing to play in shoes? Providing answers to more than 100 questions, Hesse and Simpson explore the beautiful game as never before, shedding new light on legends such as Pele, Maradona, Messi, Beckham, Ronaldo, and Rooney, and uncovering lost histories of international clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and more. Challenging conventional wisdom, and destroying a few urban myths, Who Invented the Bicycle Kick? is a must for every soccer lover.