Football World Cup 2006

When the players themselves kick off this week there will be plenty to keep the armchair footballer happy. First out of the tunnel wearing the number 10 shirt is Edson Arantes Do Nascimento with his autobiography,’Pele’. Born into poverty in 1940 Pele was playing for his longterm club ‘Santos’ by the age of fifteen and in the Brazilian world cup team aged seventeen. He went on to represent Brazil on 92 occasions, scoring 77 international goals. Illustrated with colour photographs ‘Pele’ tells his full life story; his childhood, his footballing records and his life after ‘the beautiful game’.

Next onto the pitch is England’s Captain Marvel, 90 games for England – 65 as captain. ‘Robbo’ is Bryan Robson’s own account of his career at club, national and managerial level. Robson is from the football fertile North-East which bred the Charltons and Milburns. His career has displayed a neat symmetry as he now manages West Brom where he first played professional football in 1974. His account features many of the characters from our national football scene over the last 40 years including Alex Ferguson, Bobby Robson, Paul Gascoigne, Gary Lineker, Terry Venables and many others.

For the complete anorak BBC Sport has produced the ‘Match of the Day Guide to the 2006 World Cup’. This is the definitive and comprehensive guide to all the players, teams, stadiums and matches. In addition Spurs' manager Martin Jol has given an expert’s analysis to each World Cup Group. The book is excellent value at just £6.99.

For the younger footie fan the publishers of the popular Horrible History series have produced a one-off; ‘Foul Football – Wicked World Cup 2006’. Constructed in the usual Horrible style of cartoons and witty one-liners the book tells the reader everything they could possibly not want to know from the beginning in 1930 through to 2006.

Bringing up the rear is Ricky Tomlinson’s ‘Football My Arse!’ with a foreword by the best manager England never had, Mike Bassett. This collection of anecdotes about football stars, fans, footballers’ wives etc is described on the cover as ‘The Funniest Football Book You’ll Ever Read - personally I found it more of a half-time lemon.