The World Cup has a mixed history. The grace and glory of international football's greatest contest has been tainted by some dark incidents - the protests against the rising fascist tide in 1938, the hijacking of the tournament by the Argentinian junta in 1978, the murder of Andrès Escobar, Luis Suárez taking a chunk out of Chiellini's shoulder.

In this definitive guide, every tournament is covered in detail, with line-ups, statistics and tables to guide us right up to Russia 2018. Holt analyses different aspects of the game as it evolved through the decades, from shifts in tempo to changes to the very nature of football. Some common (but incorrect) assumptions are debunked, and familiar controversies are reappraised.

Inside you will find in-depth coverage of key games, the real humdingers and the shock results. There are mini bios of heroes, some well-known; others less familiar. And if you want some pure fiction there are Dream Teams for all the major World Cup nations or regions: all-time Dutch World Cup squad anyone?

· How did one team lose 8-3 in a group match, before going on to beat the same opponents in a final?
· Why do so many more players receive red cards in the modern game?
· Whose last-minute goal denied France and Eric Cantona a place in the 1994 Finals?
· Which coach took five different teams to five successive World Cup tournaments?

And was Pele really that good? Yes, he was. For the rest, you'll need to read the book.