"The classic bestseller that changed how the world thinks about football
'Quite magnificent – a sort of Freakanomics of football.' Jonathan Wilson, Guardian
'If you're a football fan, I'll save you some time: read this book' Daily Telegraph
Football truly is the world’s favourite game, followed in over 200 countries by hundreds of millions of people pouring their hearts and souls into supporting their chosen team every week.
But behind the passion are questions that all true football fans want answered: has football spending spun out of control? How much do managers matter? Is hosting a World Cup a poisoned chalice?
Soccernomics challenges the conventional wisdom to reveal the surprising truths that actually determine success and failure on the pitch. From an acclaimed economist and leading sports journalist, this modern classic uses data and economic principles to explore the myths that dominate the game.
Fully revised and updated ahead of the 2026 World Cup, Soccernomics takes you behind the passion and into the patterns – revealing why your team wins, why it loses, and why the game you love doesn't always work the way you think it does.
Soccernomics is essential reading for anyone in search of a more strategic, systematic perspective on the game, answering the questions that most consume football fans."
"Bloomsbury presents Crickonomics by Stefan Szymanski and Tim Wigmore, read by David Thorpe.
SELECTED AS ONE OF WATERSTONES BEST SPORT BOOKS OF 2022.
A CRICKETER BOOK OF THE YEAR.
An engaging tour of the modern game from an award-winning journalist and the economist who co-authored the bestselling Soccernomics.
Why does England rely on private schools for their batters – but not their bowlers? How did demographics shape India’s rise? Why have women often been the game’s great innovators? Why does South Africa struggle to produce Black Test batters? And how does the weather impact who wins?
Crickonomics explores all of this and much more – including how Jayasuriya and Gilchrist transformed Test batting but T20 didn’t; English cricket’s great missed opportunity to have a league structure like football; why batters are paid more than bowlers; how Afghanistan is transforming German cricket; what the rest of the world can learn from New Zealand and even the Barmy Army’s importance to Test cricket.
This incisive book will entertain and surprise all cricket lovers. It might even change how you watch the game. C 2022 Tim Wigmore C 2022 Stefan Szymanski P 2022 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC"
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