Mundiales is a sweeping history of the World Cup told exclusively from a South American perspective. From Uruguay’s Olympic triumphs in 1924 and 1928 to the canonisation of Lionel Messi in Qatar, Tim Vickery and Mark Biram reframe football’s greatest spectacle around the continent that gave it myth, tragedy and glory. This book blends footballing drama with political context and cultural identity, showing how South America not only hosted and won the World Cup but also went a long way (perhaps more than any other continent) towards shaping it into the epic it is today. Drawing on decades of immersion and lived experience, together with research using Spanish and Portuguese sources, Mundiales offers fresh perspectives previously unseen in the English language. It is a story of artistry and grit, of style and symbolism, of nations finding themselves through the game. With vivid storytelling and sharp analysis, this is the definitive account of South America’s enduring love affair with the World Cup.

From his base in Rio de Janeiro, Tim Vickery has been writing for World Soccer and broadcasting weekly on BBC radio’s World Football Phone-In since 1997. For more than 15 years he has been appearing every week on Brazilian TV. Mark Biram is a writer and academic who holds a PhD in Hispanic Studies and specialises in South American football. He is the author of Women’s Football in Brazil and Colombia and Viva Colombia.