The Best Soccer Audiobooks for Avid and Prospective Fans


November 17, 2022
The game is afoot in this collection of the best soccer audiobooks. You don’t have to be a pro to get lost in these fun and fascinating listens of one of the most popular sports of our generation.

Whether you’re a casual player, a follower of the Champions League, a football fan, or just interested in learning more about the football world, our list of the best football or soccer books captures what makes “the beautiful game” such a sensation and a way of life for many. Playing and watching the sport is a breathtaking experience, but listening to audiobooks about soccer offers a whole new experience that is as entertaining as it is educational. Here’s our list of the best football books for you to hit play on in audio form, brought to you by your favourite sportswriters and international soccer superstars.
Product list
  • One Life cover art

    • One Life

    • Written by: Megan Rapinoe, Emma Brockes
    • Narrated by: Megan Rapinoe
    • Length: 6 hrs and 39 mins
    • Release date: 2020-11-10
    • Language: English
    • 5 out of 5 stars 53 ratings
    • In her bestselling memoir, Megan Rapinoe, Olympic gold medalist and two-time Women's World Cup champion, looks back on the highs and lows of her life thus far, both on and off the field. From kicking her first soccer ball at four years old to coming to terms with her sexuality in college to suing the US Soccer Federation over gender discrimination and equal pay, Rapinoe has lived an inspiring life. In One Life, she urges all of us to ask ourselves what we plan to do with the one life we have to live. Rapinoe narrates her own story with her signature candour and humour.
  • Alex Ferguson: cover art

    • Alex Ferguson:

    • My Autobiography
    • Written by: Alex Ferguson
    • Narrated by: James Macpherson, Alex Ferguson
    • Length: 9 hrs and 56 mins
    • Release date: 2013-10-29
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 34 ratings
    • As the football manager of Manchester United for 26 years, Alex Ferguson led the Premier League side to win 38 trophies—the most won by any manager in the history of the sport—and is widely considered the best professional soccer manager of all time. His aptly titled Alex Ferguson: My Autobiography is a must-listen for any true soccer fan. In this bestseller, Ferguson reflects on his career as a professional footballer and manager, his take on management psychology, and his strategies to help lead his team to the top. Taggart actor James Macpherson narrates, bringing the book and all its action and drama to life, while Ferguson lends his voice to the prelude.
  • Among the Thugs cover art

    • Among the Thugs

    • Written by: Bill Buford
    • Narrated by: Bill Buford
    • Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins
    • Release date: 2018-10-23
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 12 ratings
    • If you're fascinated by the culture surrounding soccer, pick up Among the Thugs. In this audiobook, author Bill Buford, the editor of Granta magazine, dives into the world of England's soccer thugs, from their deep love of the sport to the aggression that leads to vandalism and riots. Buford expertly narrates his audiobook with humour and genuine fascination for this powerful and shocking subject. In England, soccer thugs are known as “football hooligans,” and this subculture has inspired countless movies and TV series. Equally gripping and hilarious, this audiobook is guaranteed to educate and entertain North American listeners as they dive into the dark world of soccer-adjacent violence.
  • Inverting the Pyramid cover art

    • Inverting the Pyramid

    • Written by: Jonathan Wilson
    • Narrated by: Damian Lynch
    • Length: 18 hrs and 21 mins
    • Release date: 2018-08-14
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 18 ratings
    • Yes, soccer is a sport that is played pretty much everywhere. But everywhere the sport is played, tactics and strategies will be just a little different. In Inverting the Pyramid, British sportswriter Jonathan Wilson takes an in-depth look at soccer tactics and how they have evolved through the centuries, from the pioneering maneuvers of the Scottish passing game in the 1870s to the tactical genius of modern-day Barcelona. How different is the modern football we know today from what it used to be hundreds of years ago? Wilson answers this question and more in this fascinating audiobook.
  • The National Team (Updated and Expanded Edition) cover art

    • The National Team (Updated and Expanded Edition)

    • The Inside Story of the Women Who Dreamed Big, Defied the Odds, and Changed Soccer
    • Written by: Caitlin Murray
    • Narrated by: Andi Arndt
    • Length: 11 hrs and 14 mins
    • Release date: 2019-04-02
    • Language: English
    • 5 out of 5 stars 2 ratings
    • The US Women’s National Team is truly inspiring. They've won four soccer World Cup finals and four Olympic gold medals. They consistently draw massive crowds and earn huge revenues for FIFA and US Soccer. And yet, the team still struggles with unfair circumstances, especially when compared with the US Men’s National Team. The women’s team is faced with poor pay, poor playing conditions, and limited professional opportunities. Leading sportswriter Caitlin Murray looks at the full history of the USWNT in The National Team, narrated by Andi Arndt, focusing on their impressive triumphs and tough battles throughout the years.
  • Zonal Marking cover art

    • Zonal Marking

    • From Ajax to Zidane, the Making of Modern Soccer
    • Written by: Michael W. Cox
    • Narrated by: Colin Mace
    • Length: 14 hrs and 6 mins
    • Release date: 2019-08-13
    • Language: English
    • 5 out of 5 stars 25 ratings
    • Soccer is constantly changing and developing new styles and trends as a modern sport. In Zonal Marking, Michael W. Cox takes listeners on a European tour through the recent shifting styles of soccer—from Italy's triumph to the four-year domination of Barcelona and Spanish football to the way Germany took back control to England's long reign. Cox is a British journalist and author who contributes football analysis to The Athletic. Zonal Marking offers insights into how various national strategies, managers, stars and characters have influenced the game over generations. The result is a riveting tactical and cultural history of soccer, offering another perspective on its global appeal.
  • Soccer For Dummies, 2nd Edition cover art

    • Soccer For Dummies, 2nd Edition

    • Written by: Thomas Dunmore, Scott Murray
    • Narrated by: Aaron Landon
    • Length: 11 hrs and 13 mins
    • Release date: 2014-10-20
    • Language: English
    • Not rated yet
    • Are you new to “the beautiful game”? Are you looking to get a handle on the sport’s basic moves and plays? Soccer for Dummies is the listen for you. In this book, Thomas Dunmore and Scott Murray lay out the basics to help you improve your overall game knowledge and meet your soccer goals. There’s plenty of info for fans of the game as well. For instance, you'll learn what to expect when you attend a professional soccer game and where to find soccer on television. Whether you're new to playing or to watching soccer, you'll get the basics down in no time. Narrator Aaron Landon breaks it all down with clarity.
  • Masters of Modern Soccer cover art

    • Masters of Modern Soccer

    • How the World's Best Play the Twenty-First-Century Game
    • Written by: Grant Wahl
    • Narrated by: Grant Wahl
    • Length: 6 hrs and 59 mins
    • Release date: 2018-05-01
    • Language: English
    • Not rated yet
    • In Masters of Modern Soccer, Grant Wahl, a journalist for Sports Illustrated, tackles a major question of interest for serious soccer players and coaches: How have the world's top soccer marvels of the past two decades become so exceptional at their game? Wahl, who also narrates, profiles brilliant players in every position in the game, breaking down how they strategize, both on and off the field. For any fan, player, coach or sideline enthusiast, Grant Wahl’s self-narrated audiobook will change the way they watch the game. If you're aiming to improve your soccer skills or lead your team to victory, you need to listen to this audiobook.
  • Furia cover art

    • Furia

    • Written by: Yamile Saied Méndez
    • Narrated by: Sol Madariaga
    • Length: 8 hrs and 52 mins
    • Release date: 2022-07-15
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 5 ratings
    • A novel for fans of soccer and YA fiction, Furia is the story of a young Argentinian girl living two lives. Camila is the dutiful daughter at home, keeping her head down and remaining in the shadow of her rising soccer-star brother. But on the field? She's La Furia, an undeniably talented powerhouse of a soccer player. When Camila's team qualifies for the South American tournament, she knows this is her chance to prove her talent to the world. But what will her parents, who know nothing about her passion for soccer or her burning ambition, think? Will Camila find a way to be a good daughter and still be La Furia? Sol Madariaga delivers a lively narration.
  • The Damned Utd cover art

    • The Damned Utd

    • Written by: David Peace, Gordon House
    • Narrated by: John Simm
    • Length: 4 hrs and 30 mins
    • Release date: 2012-09-06
    • Language: English
    • 5 out of 5 stars 1 rating
    • A thoroughly researched and utterly gripping work of historical fiction, The Damned Utd tells the story of the tough-talking, controversial coach and former Nottingham Forest football player Brian Clough. In 1974, Clough rose to the formidable challenge of managing Leeds United Football Club. During his 44-day reign, Clough worked to turn around a corrupt institution, fighting against players who wouldn't play and management that looked the other way. David Peace's powerful novel, brought to audio by English actor John Simm, celebrates a true working-class hero who took on the system—and ultimately won the respect of a winning football team.
  • The Passing Playbook cover art

    • The Passing Playbook

    • Written by: Isaac Fitzsimons
    • Narrated by: Jamie K. Brown
    • Length: 7 hrs
    • Release date: 2021-06-01
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 3 ratings
    • The Passing Playbook has been described as a cross between Love, Simon and Bend It Like Beckham. 15-year-old Spencer loves to play soccer. He's also transgender, and no one knows. After his transition led to bullying at school, Spencer transferred to a private school, hoping to get a fresh start. At Oakley, he makes new friends and has an opportunity for a starting position on the school's soccer team. Will Spencer keep passing and playing it safe—or take the risk and publicly come out? Jamie K. Brown's narration makes Isaac Fitzsimons's uplifting debut YA novel even more compelling.
  • The Age of Football cover art

    • The Age of Football

    • Soccer and the 21st Century
    • Written by: David Goldblatt
    • Narrated by: David Goldblatt
    • Length: 24 hrs and 38 mins
    • Release date: 2020-02-18
    • Language: English
    • 5 out of 5 stars 3 ratings
    • The Age of Football offers an exciting, in-depth look at soccer in the context of the 21st century. In his self-narrated audiobook, sportswriter and sociologist David Goldblatt explores the role of soccer in our social, political and economic lives. Goldblatt is sure to impress listeners with his extensive knowledge of the sport and its significance in our society. In his audiobook, he makes connections to social discord in the Middle East and political division in Europe and explores the reasons behind soccer’s surge in popularity in China, India, and the United States, as well as its use (and misuse) in the global advance of human rights and equality.
  • The Ball Is Round cover art

    • The Ball Is Round

    • A Global History of Soccer
    • Written by: David Goldblatt, David Goldblatt - foreword
    • Narrated by: Liam Gerrard
    • Length: 38 hrs and 58 mins
    • Release date: 2020-04-21
    • Language: English
    • Not rated yet
    • Another title from the esteemed sportswriter David Goldblatt features on our list of the best soccer audiobooks. The Ball Is Round presents a global history of soccer in a digestible and fascinating format. In this extraordinary listening experience, Goldblatt tells the full story of soccer's rise from chaotic folk ritual to the world's most popular sport—now on its way to establishing itself as a major sport in North America. While uncovering soccer’s role in modern societies’ political and social histories, The Ball Is Round never loses sight of the beautiful game’s beauty, joy, and excitement.
  • The Barcelona Complex cover art

    • The Barcelona Complex

    • Lionel Messi and the Making—and Unmaking—of the World's Greatest Soccer Club
    • Written by: Simon Kuper
    • Narrated by: Steve West
    • Length: 12 hrs and 24 mins
    • Release date: 2021-08-17
    • Language: English
    • 5 out of 5 stars 12 ratings
    • Simon Kuper is a celebrated journalist who is known for writing about sports from an anthropological perspective. In The Barcelona Complex, he takes a deep dive into the career of Argentine soccer legend Lionel Messi, and the making (and unmaking) of the Spanish soccer powerhouse that is FC Barcelona. After decades of writing about the sport and FC Barcelona, Kuper was given inside access to the club and the people who work behind the scenes to keep Barcelona at the top. This fascinating audiobook, narrated by Steve West charts the rise and fall of one of the greatest soccer clubs to ever exist.
  • Playing the Long Game cover art

    • Playing the Long Game

    • A Memoir
    • Written by: Christine Sinclair, Stephen Brunt - contributor
    • Narrated by: Rachel Cairns
    • Length: 6 hrs and 15 mins
    • Release date: 2022-11-01
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 59 ratings
    • This inspirational memoir comes from Canadian Olympic soccer gold medalist, Christine Sinclair. In Playing the Long Game, the soccer superstar who hails from Burnaby is joined by Canadian sports journalist Stephen Brunt as she details her life and career. Together, they leave no stone unturned when it comes to Sinclair’s successes and failures. In 2022, Sinclair broke the record for the most career international goals scored by a female or male soccer player, making her one of Canada’s most accomplished athletes of all time. You won’t want to miss this must-read that has been transformed into a must-listen, performed by Rachel Cairns.