No football fan in his right mind would refuse to acknowledge a book that gives them details about the greatest players to represent their country; tells them about the history of the game as well as brings forth information regarding the origins and rise of football clubs around the world. The ITV Sport Complete Encyclopedia of Football is one such book which provides you everything you want to know about the game, and more.

First of all, this book is not an ordinary encyclopedia… it tells fans (and non-fans alike) about the humble beginnings of football, disclosing to readers that the game might have been played in China during the era of Roman Emperor Julius Caesar! In fact, the game was not known as football but as ‘harpastum’ at that time, and is credited as the origin of both rugby football and association football.

How this game from China became popular, first in Britain, then in its colonies and finally throughout the world is discussed in the form of a timeline; where each decade and the advancements it brought to the game is mentioned chronologically, making even the least interested fan of the game interested in it.

The interesting box items that appear here and there in this book give you information that you didn’t know. There is a ‘The Simplest Game’ box followed by one about ‘The Invincibles’, ‘Presidents of FIFA’, and many about the ‘The Great Matches’. The World Cup is discussed in the simplest of manners, giving you a synopsis of all the editions of the mega event that have taken place in the past. You are bound to find out new information in this chapter since it covers other major competitions as well -- including the European Championship, Copa America, Olympic Games, Women’s World Cup as well as Club level tournaments including UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Cup, FIFA World Club Cup etc.

A detailed analysis of the prominent football nations and not-so-prominent nations (Pakistan is one of them) makes you know more about international football than you could find on the World Wide Web. When that country’s football association was founded, when did they join FIFA and where do they stand is what you can easily get to know from the part of the book discussing football-playing nations. There is another chapter that deals with the most famous clubs and their triumphs during their long careers. You don’t need to be a fan of Manchester United or Real Madrid, Barcelona or AC Milan, Juventus or Bayern Munich to read that section because everything you get to know would make you wonder about the longevity of that club and its rich history.

But the best of all chapters is the one discussing ‘The Great Players’. Here, you will find out facts you didn’t know about the Italian striker Roberto Baggio whose transfer to Juventus sparked riots in the streets of Florence; Gabriel Batistuta who played for both the top clubs of Argentina, the new (Ryan Giggs) and original George Best for their ability to outwit defenders; and Brazilian star Zico who was considered too lightweight in his initial career. Some players from this list migrated on the ‘elite page’, including Germany’s Beckenbauer, England’s Beckham, Argentina’s Maradona, Brazil’s Pele, France’s Platini and Zidane since they get a full page coverage for their extraordinary exploits in the world of football. The well-designed biography not only displays their feats but also a lot about their careers which every football fan should know.

What makes this book even more interesting is the fact that it has photographs (colored as well as black and white) of events that have helped make football a household name all over the world. Yes, some people will be disappointed at not finding the name of their favorite footballers -- Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo to name a few -- on the ‘one-page’ reserved for the greatest footballers of all, but the ‘new gen’ players need to either win the World Cup or bring glory for their country if they want to be known as one of the elites. Who knows, the current World Cup might elevate Thomas Muller, Cristiano Ronaldo, Arjen Robben or Lionel Messi towards the greatness they desire. Until then, enjoy this treasure trove of information and be the better football fan!