Luciano Wernicke’s This time round it is a masterful book by Luciano Wernicke is filled with fascinating, funny, controversial, and scandalous anecdotes from football’s greatest spectacle
Luciano Wernicke’s masterful book by Luciano Wernicke is filled with fascinating, funny, controversial, and scandalous anecdotes from football’s greatest spectacle
It is FIFA World Cup time. Every four years, the ardent followers of football celebrate this beautiful game in far corners of the world. Football merchandise and literature flood the market to propel the excitement the tournament creates.
Among the books on the FIFA World Cup, the one by Luciano Wernicke, an authority on the game and a well-travelled football writer from Argentina, is different for its concept. The author has not revisited the matches from the previous tournaments. He has unearthed little known gems from each edition.
He explains the research that went into compiling the information. “This book is the result of an extensive and intense two-year investigation through many newspapers in America and Europe, more than 50 history books on football and testimonies of the numerous protagonists, and even their children and and grandchildren. I think I have achieved a book of global interest, well balanced with wonderful stories from all the participants of this great tournament.”
Argentinian sport journalist and football writer Luciano Wernicke
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Always a football lover, Wernicke says while researching the book, he realised, football is much more than a sport, and the World Cup is much more than a sporting event. “They are two phenomena that go through social and cultural events throughout the world. This competition has acquired such an exceptional interest that it has provoked the interference of politicians and dictators from all over the planet.”
Among the many heartwarming tales in the book, the one involving Eva Standman is breathtaking. Her wallet which had the ticket to the match in Munich was burgled from her home. She was in a fix since she was supposed to join her husband, Berndt at the stadium. Eva convinced Berndt, who was going to the stadium straight from the office to watch the match alone. Berndt was surprised to find a young man occupying the seat which belonged to Eva. He lost little time in locating a policeman in the stands and was able to recover the wallet. The thief succumbed to his love for football after discovering the match ticket among the stolen goods.
The 240-page book, published by Niyogi Books, is replete with such anecdotes that make it a delightful reading. For football fans, it is a treat in a season that sees the World Cup travel to Qatar. To the obvious question regarding the team best equipped to win the Cup, Wernicke says, “It is a difficult question. The World Cup has shown that it is full of surprises in terms of sport and results. However, without being able to get away from my little blue and white heart, I fervently hope that Argentina will reach the final!”
