If your child wants to join the football festivities outside of match days too, we have the perfect books for you. This list includes a mix of football-themed stories, trivia, player profiles, history, poetry and even some science, maths and geography! We have a bunch of other football-related books for football-mad/football-curious kids, so visit your local library to check them out.
Give Us A Goal: Football Poems by Paul Cookson
A brilliant collection of funny and heartfelt poems about football – playing it, supporting it, living it, breathing it. From the excitement of going to your first game, to the thrill of playing like Beckham with your mates in the park, this book captures all the emotions involved in following the beautiful game.
The Breakfast Club Adventures: The Beast Beyond the Fence by Marcus Rashford, Alex Falase-Koya and Marta Kissi
There’s something fishy going on at school . . . When twelve-year-old Marcus kicks his favourite football over the school fence, he knows he’s never getting it back. Nothing that goes over that wall ever comes back. But the next morning during Breakfast Club Marcus gets a mysterious note inviting him to join the Breakfast Club Investigators, and he is soon pulled into an exciting adventure with his new mates to solve the mystery and get his football back!
If you like this book, we have three more in the series for you to borrow.
50 Times Football Changed the World by Gary Lineker, Ivor Baddiel and Erica Salcedo
From pioneering players, trailblazing managers, and incredible tales both on and off the pitch, this book contains everything you ever wanted to know about the beautiful game. This fan and fact-packed book is full of football moments that highlight the many awe-inspiring, heart-warming and eye-opening moments that have changed the game – and sometimes the world – forever.
Football’s Champions of Change: An Inspiring History of the Anti-Racism Movement in Football by Damian Johnson
Discover the star footballers from the early days to the modern greats who have faced and fought racial bigotry on the pitch and helped advance the cause. There are also commentaries and insights from coaches, referees as well as grassroots activists who are prominent voices in the mainstream and social media. Features inspiring vox pops from young, modern-day aspiring players and fans from different ethnic backgrounds, explaining their experiences and their own battle (and triumphs) to be treated equally on the pitch and in society.
Football Rules the World: Incredible Stories from the Biggest Game on the Planet by Simon Mugford and Dan Green
The daring duo of Dan and Simon will usher you through the story of football – the highlights of course! You’ll meet the legendary players and inspirational managers of the beautiful game, relive the magic moments and read stories of epic wins and glorious goals from around the globe. Wonderfully illustrated – bringing football’s history back to life – Football Rules the World is packed with plenty of jokes, funny characters, as well as the facts and stats that fans of Football Superstars have come to know and love.
She Shoots, She Scores!: A Celebration of Women’s Football by Catriona Clarke and Sarah Long
In this book, young footie fans can find out about . . .
– The girl who had to play football in secret but grew up into a goal scoring legend
– The thirteen-year-old who shot to international fame but didn’t get a mention in school assembly
– The greatest women’s footballer ever, who scored in FIVE World Cups
The book is packed with facts and stats about the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the Olympics, plus pocket profiles of the world’s top players – from Marta to Megan Rapinoe – and record-breaking teams, including the US national women’s team and Olympique Lyonnais. What’s more, discover the key skills you’ll need to become a great goalkeeper, a tough-tackling defender or the world’s next superstar striker!
Saka (Ultimate Football Heroes): Includes the Road to Euro 2024 by Matt and Tom Oldfield
Bukayo Saka has the world at his feet. Since breaking through the ranks at Arsenal, the young forward has gone from strength to strength, helping his team lift the FA cup for a record 14th time. His versatile style of play means he can help his team all over the pitch. Discover how the boy born in Ealing, went on to represent England at Wembley in the Euro 2020 final, achieved his dream of representing his country at such a young age and overcame adversity to become the ultimate football hero.
Little People, Big Dreams: Leo Messi by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara and Florencia Gavilán
Discover the incredible life of Leo Messi, one of the world’s most skilled and celebrated footballers. As a child, Leo developed his passion for football playing games with his brothers and cousins in the streets of Rosario, Argentina. He later honed his skills on the pitch as part of the local youth team, Newell’s Old Boys – who famously won every tournament whilst Leo was with them. But life wasn’t without its challenges. Aged 9, he was diagnosed with Growth Hormone Deficiency, which meant he had to inject himself with hormones from the doctor every day to help him grow. But nothing was going to stop Leo from following his dreams.
The Unbelievable Football Trivia Book: Facts, Stats, Jokes, Quizzes and More! by Matt Oldfield
Have you heard of:
– The highest-scoring professional football match, which ended a whopping 149-0?
– The busy-bee footballer who played for both the Welsh national team and Bayern Munich in the same day?
– The joke about the magician who played football? She loved hat-tricks!
– The weirdest footballing phrases?
– The craziest match stats from the game in which every player got sent off?
If not, dive in and encounter the best, the worst, the funniest, the most impressive and the downright strangest trivia from the wonderful world of football. From Haaland and Henderson to Mbappe and Messi, discover something new on every page.
Football Crazy by Tony Bradman
Danny and his mates Jamil and Lewis are over the moon when football legend Jock Ramsey agrees to coach their team. For the first time ever the Rovers might have a chance of winning something! But Ramsey’s a tough coach. They train every night, and Saturdays too. It’s a lot of pressure for lads who just like a kickabout in the park. Can Danny, Lewis and Jamil survive the pressure and stay football crazy – in a good way?
The Soccer Diaries Book 1: Rocky Takes L.A.
Rocky Race is not your average fourteen year old. She’s determined, ambitious and the best football player you’ve ever seen. So, when she gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend a prestigious soccer camp in California, USA, she takes it. But far from home, Rocky suddenly finds herself out of her comfort zone. Fake friends, her own anxieties and a brand new world with strange rules all threaten to derail her new life before it’s even started – does Rocky have what it takes to succeed?
Football School Season 3: Where Football Explains Tackles the World by Alex Bellos and Ben Lyttleton
This book is packed with awesome true stories, real science and fascinating facts and will make you laugh loads – and it’s all about football. What colour are Cristiano Ronaldo’s pyjamas? How many bones are there in the human foot? And why is that dodo alive and kicking? The third book in the bestselling series teaches children about history, maths, geography and biology through football, facts and fun. With side-splitting cartoons and multiple choice quizzes, this is the perfect book for anyone who loves football.
If you enjoy this book, there’s three more in the series you can borrow!
North Lanarkshire Libraries | Blog 
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