Hello Football Fans, Welcome to "Best World Matches"! Here, we'll take you through some of the most exciting football games ever played. Whether you're a long-time fan or new to the sport, you'll find something amazing in these pages. We'll talk about the greatest matches from the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League, and more. From thrilling finals to unforgettable moments, these games have brought joy, drama, and unforgettable memories to fans around the world. We'll also look back at the amazing players who have made football special and the matches that made history. As you read through, we hope you'll enjoy these stories and share your thoughts with us. Your feedback means a lot and helps us keep the love for football alive. Enjoy the book, and let's make memories in the world of football!
An Intense Title Tilt! When World Champion Viswanathan Anand squared off in the 2012 championship match against Boris Gelfand, he was a heavy favorite to win. But, top the surprise of many worldwide, the match was a very tough fight. On paper, the world champion was a clear favorite against the challenger; his Elo rating (2791) was much higher than Gelfand’s (2727) and he had not lost to Gelfand since 1993. But this was deceptive. Boris Gelfand had prepared very well for the match and put all his energy into it. He had prepared many opening surprises especially for this match. This must have been a tremendous amount of work. But Gelfand and his team were up to the task. On the other hand, most of the preparation by the world champion and his trusted team of seconds, Peter Heine Nielsen, Rustam Kasimdzhanov, Surya Ganguly and Radek Wojtaszek, remained hidden, as Gelfand did not give Anand the opportunity to use it. The result was no-holds-bar bout between the world champion and his determined challenger. After the first twelve games, played at classical (i.e., slow) time controls, the players were deadlocked. It was not until the rapid-play tie-breakers that Anand finally squeaked by. International grandmaster Karsten Müller, author of many popular chess books, including an eBook on the world championship match between Vladimir Kramnik and Garry Kasparov, has put together an excellent account of the Gelfand-Anand match, with all the games deeply annotated, an historical perspective and a Foreword by none other than the world champion himself.
Magnus Carlsen Becomes World Champion! It was the match that the chess world had been anticipating for several years. Norway’s wunderkind, Magnus Carlsen had qualified as the official challenger for the world chess championship. He was facing the reigning world champion, Viswanathan Anand from India. Would Anand’s enormous match experience and years at the top be enough to stop the young Norwegian grandmaster? Magnus was heavily favored, and he did not disappoint. With the help of German grandmaster Karsten Müller, you can follow as the drama of the match played out in Chennai, India. He has annotated every game, providing insight into the battle for the title. To complement the author’s presentation, grandmaster Susan Polgar – the oldest of the famous Polgar sisters – shares her thoughts about the match in her foreword. She was there for the entire struggle providing coverage for the Indian organizers and media. Also included is a short history of the world chess championship, as well as color photos taken during the match. All in all, this is another fine book on the world chess championship by Karsten Müller.
On September 15, 1963, a Klan-planted bomb went off in the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Fourteen-year-old Carolyn Maull was just a few feet away when the bomb exploded, killing four of her friends in the girl’s restroom she had just exited. It was one of the seminal moments in the Civil Rights movement, a sad day in American history . . . and the turning point in a young girl’s life. While the World Watched is a poignant and gripping eyewitness account of life in the Jim Crow South: from the bombings, riots, and assassinations to the historic marches and triumphs that characterized the Civil Rights movement. A uniquely moving exploration of how racial relations have evolved over the past 5 decades, While the World Watched is an incredible testament to how far we’ve come and how far we have yet to go.
Garry Kasparov is considered by many to be the greatest chessplayer ever. Until the turn of the 21 st century, there did not appear to be anyone who could successfully challenge him. However, in October 2000, Kasparov met another Russian, Vladimir Kramnik, in a title match. Sponsored by BrainGames, the match would be 16 games, with the winner being the first to score 81⁄2 points. Kasparov would keep his title in the event of an 8-8 drawn match. The world watched with great interest as Garry Kasparov would defend his title for the first time in five years. Kramnik of course was a great player, one of the world's best, but Kasparov was, well... Kasparov. The match began on October 8, 2000, with most chessplayers around the world regarding Kasparov as the heavy favorite to retain his title. Of course, anything could happen, particularly in a short match, but Garry had not been defeated in match play ever, and not many fans gave Kramnik much of a chance in London. However, apparently no one had told Kramnik this. It turned out that his preparation for the match had been outstanding, and not only did he defeat Kasparov, he did so without Kasparov scoring a single win! To say his result was impressive is rather an understatement. The chess world was stunned. But it was true - Kramnik had come, seen and conquered the Great Garry. It was the start of a new era in chess. Although Kramnik's win was not expected, it was well-deserved, as he did not lose a single game, restricting Kasparov-s play and choices along the way. In particular, the choice of the "Berlin Wall” against Kasparov's Ruy Lopez proved to be a very good decision as the first game was to quickly show. During this match, German grandmaster Karsten Müller provided commentary on all the games. He has pulled together and updated his work, and it is now available in electronic form. Müller is one of the most popular chess writer of our time; his books are noted for their clarity and insight. We invite you to join Karsten as he takes an in-depth look at the world chess championship match between the then reigning world champion, Garry Kasparov, and the challenger, Vladimir Kramnik, played in October 2000 in London.
This book focuses on the emergence and expansion of media markets; high-performance sport’s transformation by, and effects upon, Cold War dynamics and inter-relations and the implications of the Treaty of Rome for an emerging European identity in sport as in other areas. It traces the connections between the forces of ideological division, economic growth, leisure consumption, European integration and the development of European sport, and examines the role of sport in the changing relationship between Europe and the US. Illuminating a key moment in global cultural history, this book is important reading for any student or scholar working in international studies, modern history or sport.
The assertion that 'football isn't a matter of life or death, it's much more important than that' has been verified repeatedly throughout modern history. It has bolstered tyrants and helped depose them; contributed to conflict and created ceasefires. It has been an incubator of racism at home and helped bring down a racist regime abroad; shaped cities, changed cultures and inspired resistance. Its impact is as dynamic as the game itself. In this fascinating exploration, Jim Murphy takes us on a journey around the world and through the years, from Franco's Spain to Africa's Alcatraz, Robben Island. Charting the match that sparked a Central American war, the Barcelona team threatened at gunpoint, and the game that helped save Rupert Murdoch's media empire, among much else, Murphy lends a fresh new perspective to some of the most iconic moments in international football. Blending a love of the game with an appreciation of its place in global events, this is an authoritative and often humorous mix of sport and history, featuring fascinating first-hand insights from those most involved in the ten matches that changed the world ... and the one that didn't.
