Soccer Book Recommendations

The World Cup is coming up! Let's get ready for it by reading great books about soccer!

Picture Books 

Dino-Soccer by Lisa Wheeler

Book Cover: Dino-Soccer; cartoon dinosaurs playing soccer.
Soccer gets even more action-packed when the herbivores take on the carnivores in this silly soccer story!

G is for Golazo: The Ultimate Soccer Alphabet by James Littlejohn

Book Cover: G is for Golazo: The Ultimate Soccer Alphabet; cartoon characters playing soccer.
This alphabet book features known soccer terms, current and past superstars, and some very cool facts about the sport.

Goodnight Soccer by Michael Dahl

Book Cover: Goodnight Soccer; a girl hugging a soccer ball falling asleep.
Make bedtime even better for young soccer fans! This rhyming picture book celebrates the game of soccer, the field of play, and the excitement of the crowds. Check out other books from the Sports Illustrated for Kids series which also includes Goodnight Baseball, Goodnight Football, and Goodnight Hockey

The Field by Baptiste Paul 

Book Cover: The Field; kids playing soccer in a field.
This picture book celebrates the love of soccer and its universal appeal. A young girl starts a pick-up soccer game with friends versus friends. They continue to play until evening even when cows graze on the field and unexpected rain falls. Creole language is sprinkled throughout the story. 

Non-Fiction Books

One Goal: How Soccer Can Help Save the Planet by Heather Camlot

Book Cover: One Goal: How Soccer Can Help Save the Planet; cartoon character playing soccer with a backdrop of the Earth.
This informative book highlights how soccer organizations and clubs worldwide are working toward a more sustainable future. Did you know that Nigeria uses the kinetic energy of players running over special tiles to power the fields’ floodlights or that a soccer club in Spain makes their stadium seats from recycled fishing nets? Learn about these fun facts and more!

The Story of the World Cup by Emma Carlson-Berne

Book Cover: The Story of the World Cup; photo of Argentina's national soccer team in front of a soccer ball pattern.
This is a great introduction to the World Cup and the sport of soccer. Learn when the World Cup began, which teams have won the most titles, and which teams have never won the game. 

The Ultimate Unofficial World Cup Book: Legends, Stats, and Stories from Soccer’s Biggest Game by Maria Barbo
Book Cover: The Ultimate Unofficial World Cup Book: Legends, Stats, and Stories from Soccer’s Biggest Game; the legs of two people wearing cleats and playing soccer.

This book is full of amazing photos, interesting trivia, and history from the World Cup. Read all about the game's biggest comebacks, top scorers, team records, and more in this comprehensive book. 

Women’s Soccer Legends 2026 by Kevin Pettman

Book Cover: Women's Soccer Legends 2026; Photos of four of the women in the book with a soccer ball.
This book highlights and includes profiles on one hundred of the top women’s soccer players. Different statistics are included based on position for forwards, midfielders, defenders, and even top coaches. Be sure to also check out Men’s Soccer Legends 2026 by David Ballheimer!

Middle Grade

The Academy by T.Z. Layton
Book Cover: The Academy; boy in a soccer uniform carrying a soccer ball.

Leo is a star soccer player from a small town. He has never seen the ocean nor been on a plane. His excitement rises as he is invited to fly to London to try out for the premier youth soccer league, known as The Academy. Will he be one of 11 players chosen from over 200? The Academy is part of a six-book series of the same name. 

Booked by Kwame Alexander

Book Cover: Booked; cartoon character playing soccer.
Follow Nick, a soccer loving tween, as he balances soccer, school, and other emotional challenges in this graphic adaptation of Kwame Alexander’s novel in verse.

King of the Bench: Kicking & Screaming by Steve Moore

Book Cover: King of the Bench: Kicking and Screaming; cartoon boy running away from a soccer ball.
Steve joins the JV soccer team at the insistence of his friend even though he doesn’t even care for the sport. Follow his funny antics as he goes away for a weekend tournament. Part of a four-book series, this book is perfect for Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans!

Stealing the Score by Sylvia Liu

Book Cover: Stealing the Score; three kids watching a soccer game.
Three huge soccer fans try to win a scavenger hunt for the once-in-a-lifetime prize of tickets to the World Cup! Then, the World Cup is threatened when their real-life soccer hero’s cleats go missing.

World in Between: Based on a True Refugee Story by Kenan Trebincevic and Susan Shapiro

Book Cover: World in Between: Based on a True Refugee Story; boy carrying a soccer ball.
Kenan is a boy who loves soccer, drawing, and hanging out with his friends. War in Bosnia changes everything when Kenan and his family are trapped in their home until they can take refuge in the United States. 

We hope this helps you find a new read to celebrate the World Cup!
-Stacy and Alyssa


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