{"title":"Author: Martin da Cruz","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"from-beauty-to-duty-a-footballing-history-of-uruguay-1878-1917","title":"From Beauty to Duty – A Footballing History of Uruguay 1878-1917","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe first English-language history of Uruguayan football which maps the game's journey from an exclusive British pastime to Uruguayan national passion, bringing to life the teams, players and personalities who helped create one of the world's most intense sporting cultures. Published in 2022.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSize: 143mm x 223mm – 352 pages.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Soccer Books Limited","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45003777605911,"sku":"9781801501491","price":8.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0726\/0546\/6903\/files\/FromBeautyToDutyUruguay.jpg?v=1683237326"},{"product_id":"uruguay-football-s-first-global-power-1918-1930","title":"Uruguay – Football’s First Global Power, 1918–1930","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe extraordinary story of how a small South American nation reshaped the global game and became football's first true superpower.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDrawing on rare archival material from Montevideo, historian Martin da Cruz reconstructs a decisive era in world football, from Uruguay's pioneering innovations to their crowning moment on the sport's biggest stage. This book:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTraces the rise of La Celeste from regional innovators to global champions, changing how football was played and understood\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExplores Uruguay's explosive impact at the 1924 Paris Olympics, where their revolutionary style stunned Europe and redefined the sport\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCovers back‑to‑back Olympic triumphs in 1924 and 1928, alongside celebrated tours of Europe and North America\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProfiles iconic figures such as José Nasazzi, José Leandro Andrade and Héctor Scarone, whose intelligence, skill and athleticism set new international standards\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRecreates the drama of the 1930 FIFA World Cup in Montevideo, won amid political tension, construction crises and European boycotts\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExamines the cultural, social and sporting forces that shaped one of football’s most influential generations\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA richly researched and vivid account of football's formative years – essential reading for anyone interested in the history of the World Cup, South American football or the origins of the modern game. Published in 2026.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSize: 143mm x 222mm – 349 pages.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Soccer Books Limited","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57506195833214,"sku":"9781836804741","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0726\/0546\/6903\/files\/UruguayFirstGlobalPower.jpg?v=1780493000"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0726\/0546\/6903\/collections\/UruguayFirstGlobalPower.jpg?v=1780494559","url":"https:\/\/soccer-books.co.uk\/en-us\/collections\/author-martin-da-cruz.oembed","provider":"Soccer Books Limited","version":"1.0","type":"link"}