Who Invented the Bicycle Kick?: Soccer's Greatest Legends and Lore

Published in time for the 2014 World Cup, the ultimate collection of soccer’s greatest lore and legends, illustrated with 100 black-and-white photos, by two of the world’s most knowledgeable soccer journalists.

Who Invented the Bicycle Kick? is a rollicking ride through soccer history that will surprise and delight fans old and new. Veteran soccer journalists Uli Hesse and editor Paul Simpson bring together the sublime feats, legendary personalities, neglected heroes, bizarre twists of fate, and fascinating mysteries that have shaped the world’s most popular game, including:

Who invented the bicycle kick?

Why does a football match last 90 minutes?

Who scored the fastest goal ever?

Which match produced the largest number of red cards?

Why are seven dead cats buried under a stadium in Argentina?

Which country was banned from the World Cup after refusing to play in shoes?

Providing answers to more than 100 questions, Hesse and Simpson explore the beautiful game as never before, shedding new light on legends such as Pele, Maradona, Messi, Beckham, Ronaldo, and Rooney, and uncovering lost histories of international clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and more. Challenging conventional wisdom, and destroying a few urban myths, Who Invented the Bicycle Kick? is a must for every soccer lover.

© 2025 William Morrow Paperbacks (Ebook): 9780062346957

Release date

Ebook: 11 March 2025