Each chapter is devoted to a new location, a new group of dreamers, and a new footballing contest, but more than that Montague shines a light on the human aspects of the clashes, whether that be in recovery from devastation in Haiti, difficulties for international footballers in getting into and out of Palestine, or transgender debutants helping American Samoa to gain their first ever win.
It is that American Samoan story which is the most fascinating to me. A team containing the goalkeeper who let in all thirty-one goals mentioned in the book’s title in a match with Australia some years before seeking redemption on the pitch with a disparate set of colleagues and a charismatic Dutch-American coach helping them on their way. But there are so many more great tales with each chapter sending us across the world to another group of hopefuls progressing on their journey. It’s not all underdogs with sections looking at Egypt and Bosnia, as well as the political implications of a potential Kosovo national team.
It isn’t a travelogue as such, but the globetrotting nature of the author and his escapades give an air of exoticism and adventure in amongst the football. He gives a wonderful sense of place throughout, painting vivid pictures in the reader’s mind of some far flung locations. Each brings its own raft of interesting characters and a growing sense of jealousy at the writer’s travels and adventures. There is Montserrat recruiting players from open trials on Hackney Marshes, Palestinians facing difficulties in travelling for fixtures, Lebanese match fixing scandals, escapee Eritrean asylum seekers, Haitian passion and Virgin Islands optimism.
World Cup qualifying is often seen as a dull chore for some in the European establishment, worthy of little attention or praise. But as Montague reveals in glorious style, for much of the world, the adventure is in overcoming obstacles, striving for unprecedented attainment, seeking redemption and providing a release from national poverty or disasters. The World Cup binds them all, but the stories are as diverse as the countries Montague visits. It makes for a truly fascinating and magical tale, and one that is very well told in this terrific book.
The title confused me slightly, since it refers to a match from the qualification for the 2002 World Cup. Yes, it is referred to in the American Samoa chapter, but it seemed rather misleading making me think the book was about famous or infamous tales from qualification over the years rather than an odyssey in the 2014 tournament. The title refers to an event that the book is simply not about, like a sub-editor giving a story a headline that the subsequent article has precious little to do with. But the book itself is a triumph of human spirit and the power of the world’s most popular game and is highly recommended.
- Aidan Williams - http://thesportsbookreview.com
Publisher - Bloomsbury
Date of Publication - 22nd May 2014