5 football autobiographies one could read while all the leagues face suspension amidst the coronavirus outbreak in the world.
The COVID-19’s threat has caused suspensions across all European football leagues in the world. The English FA in the latest update has further extended the suspension to April 30th/
So, without any footballing action since more than a week, there is little a football addict can look out for. Hence, we have decided to suggest an alternate while the live-action is at a halt.
Moreover, since most of the world is either in self-isolation or quarantine, there is something for the fans to do, in this time of health distress in the world.
The Sportsrush is going to suggest 5 football autobiographies of most iconic stars in the history of the game so that one can read and remain in the touch of the game, while the league is suspended till the spread of the Coronavirus slows down in Europe.
Also read: 5 Football movies to watch in the absence of matches this weekend
1. Managing my Life: My Autobiography and Alex Ferguson: My Autobiography
The legendary Manchester United manager is loved by his fans and adored by the rivals, Sir Alex Ferguson was a hard man to ignore while he was in the business.
The manager who took Manchester United to the top of Europe and made it the only English side to win the treble. The story of Alex Ferguson is iconic and what could be better than two parts of it.
So, he has authored two books on himself, the first one being “Managing my life: My Autobiography” and the second one was Alex Ferguson: My Autobiography.
The first one covers the events of his life before the turn of the century and the second one is from 2000-2013. The second got a lot of fame, in which he called Steven Gerrard not a top top player and dissed Jordan Henderson.
Whereas, touted Phil Jones to be the top defender in future, which never happened. But both books cover the illustrious career of SAF and he talked about how made it last long for so many years.
Therefore, if you have not read it yet then its the perfect time to know the greatest Premier League manager up and close. Meanwhile, if you have already read them then it is not a bad idea to re-read it.
2. Andrea Pirlo: I think therefore I play
Andrea Pirlo is undoubtedly one of the greatest midfielders to grace the game. His football IQ was unmatched except by Barcelona’s Xavi Hernandez.
“All I’m after is a few square metres to be myself. Space where I can continue to profess my creed: take the ball, give it to a team-mate, team-mate scores. It’s called an assist and it’s my way of spreading happiness.”
This is one of the greatest quotes from the autobiography and could give you an indication about what to expect in the book from the Italian maestro, who was like wine, got better with the age.
Pirlo’s book is unique in itself, as it doesn’t cross chronological years of his life or doesn’t give an account of his life in all these clubs, rather will take you deep inside the mind of the midfield master.
So, if you want to read something really intriguing while in isolation, then Pirlo’s book would be a great choice to spend these days.
3. Stillness and Speed: My Story by Dennis Bergkamp
Dennis Bergkamp was surely an exceptional player, a key figure in the Invincibles and one of the best players to ever play in the Premier League, surely one would love to read about his journey.
No matter to which club your allegiance lied, everyone, adored the Dutch player and git amazed with his vision, goals and control. The man was a genius, to say the least.
In this autobiography, you won’t see any spicy statement or a headline-making line. The text in the book is a simple refreshingly new spin on a genre that has often become stale in its old age.
The 269 pages long book will be an easy read in this break, one can surely choose to read this to know the philosophies of the Dutch player.
4. I am Zlatan: Zlatan Ibrahimovic
The autobiography of Zlatan Ibrahimovic gives a unique perspective about his life as we know Ibrahimovic is probably the most outspoken character in the football fraternity.
In this book, the Swedish footballer tells about his journey in football and how he overcame the hardships to be one of the greatest strikers in the history of the game.
He boldly speaks about all the things he felt wrong and the problems he faced in his career, he didn’t even flinch while being critical of his managers and colleagues in the game.
Yes, there are definitely better men in the sport to read about, but Ibrahimovic’s story promises the anecdotes of probably the most narcissist personality in football.
Overall, the book is a good read and the few moments might make you smile, which is the most needed thing at this hour.
5. My Turn: Johan Cruyff
One should not miss reading about a person who had such a huge impact in shaping the modern game. Cruyff was probably the biggest philosopher in the game.
He based the foundation of the famous “Tiki-Taka” game-style, firm believer in simple football, he gave the vision of La Masia- the famosu football academy of Barcelona.
And nobody can deny that if he hadn’t been there for Barcelona, the golden generation might have never happened. There is a lot to speak about Cruyff and the words will always remain short.
Apart from being a great philosopher, he was one of the greatest players in the history of the game too, the deadly Cruyff turn has been exclusively named after him, and is often imitated by the footballers of the present.
So, if one wants to polish their footballing IQ, My Turn by Johan Cruyff is totally a perfect choice and could also change the way you always thought about this game.
