Uruguay – Football’s First Global Power, 1918–1930

The extraordinary story of how a small South American nation reshaped the global game and became football's first true superpower.

Drawing 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:

• Traces the rise of La Celeste from regional innovators to global champions, changing how football was played and understood
  
• Explores Uruguay's explosive impact at the 1924 Paris Olympics, where their revolutionary style stunned Europe and redefined the sport
  
• Covers back‑to‑back Olympic triumphs in 1924 and 1928, alongside celebrated tours of Europe and North America
  
• Profiles iconic figures such as José Nasazzi, José Leandro Andrade and Héctor Scarone, whose intelligence, skill and athleticism set new international standards
  
• Recreates the drama of the 1930 FIFA World Cup in Montevideo, won amid political tension, construction crises and European boycotts
  
• Examines the cultural, social and sporting forces that shaped one of football’s most influential generations

A 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.

Size: 143mm x 222mm – 349 pages.