Das Reboot: How German Soccer Reinvented Itself and Conquered the World

by Raphael Honigstein

Overview

"A beautiful story, expertly told." — Per Mertesacker, Arsenal defender and member of the German national team, winners of the 2014 World Cup

Estádio do Maracanã", July 13, 2014, the last ten minutes of extra time in the World Cup Final: German forward Mario Götze jumps to meet a floated pass from André Schürrle cushions the ball with his chest, and in one fluid motion volleys the ball past the onrushing Argentine goalkeeper into the far corner of the net. The goal wins Germany the World Cup for the first time in almost thirty years. As the crowd roars, Götze looks dazed, unable to comprehend what he has done.

In Das Reboot, Raphael Honigstein charts the return of German soccer from the dreary functionality of the late 1990s to Götze's moment of sublime, balletic genius and asks: How did this come about? The answer takes him from California to Stuttgart, from Munich to the Maracan", via Dortmund and Amsterdam. Packed with exclusive interviews with key figures, including Jürgen Klinsmann, Thomas Müller Oliver Bierhoff, and many more, Honigstein's book reveals the secrets of German soccer's success.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781568585307
Publisher:	PublicAffairs
Publication date:	10/06/2015
Edition description:	First US Edition
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Raphael Honigstein is the author of Das Reboot and the top expert on German soccer. He is a columnist for the Guardian and ESPN, writes for Suddeutsche Zeitung and Sport 1 in Germany, and appears as a pundit for BT Sport and ESPN, as well as Sky Sports in Germany. He is also a regular fixture on the Guardian's award-winning podcast Football Weekly.

Editorial Reviews

A peerless glimpse into how German soccer has rebooted itself into a global superpower.” –Top Drawer Soccer

“Brisk and lively…. A fascinating story well-told and a must-read for coaches, players, fans and administrators at every level of the U.S. soccer pyramid.” –SoccerWire

“There is no question that Raphael Honigstein is the world's top expert on German soccer. It's no accident that his most recent offering, Das Reboot: How German Soccer Reinvented Itself and Conquered the World, is one of the most promising books of the year. It is a definitive text on the modern German game, much like David Winner's Brilliant Orange was for Dutch football.” –International Soccer Network

“What Michael Lewis did for baseball with his best-selling Moneyball and Cameron Stauth did for basketball in The Franchise, soccer columnist Honigstein does for soccer as he re-creates the dramatic rise of the German game, and that country's path toward becoming World Cup champions in 2014…. The result, like Germany's team, is at the championship level.” –Library Journal

“[A] tale of unsung innovators as well as national heroes.” –The Economist

“Masterfully conceived…Das Reboot feels fluid and comprehensive, a thorough survey of German soccer over the last fifty years that's also light on its feet…. If this all sounds too technical for the casual fan, Honigstein's charming, personable voice keeps the book absorbing even for those uninterested in tactics and formations.” –The New Republic

“Exhaustive and compelling…. Blending copious amounts of historical background with detailed accounts of Germany's 2014 campaign and colorful anecdotes, Raphael Honigstein deftly documents the 'reboot' of German football.” –San Francisco Chronicle

“As Raphael Honigstein points out in this often mesmerising account of one country's struggle for sporting excellence, last year's World Cup win was seen as a validation of the German way of life…. Honigstein tells the story with panache and exactly the same kind of eye for detail he's writing about. Is it too much to hope that the football authorities over here may read this book and be inspired to try something similar? I think we all know the answer to that one.” –The Independent (UK)

“Excellent.” –The Irish Examiner

From the Publisher

10/15/2015
What Michael Lewis did for baseball with his best-selling Moneyball and Cameron Stauth did for basketball in The Franchise, soccer columnist Honigstein does for soccer as he re-creates the dramatic rise of the German game, and that country's path toward becoming World Cup champions in 2014. His story is one of soccer success at the highest level after several near World Cup misses; Germany finished third in 2006 and 2010. The evolution of a championship began with these earlier losses as coach Joachim Low and general manager Oliver Bierhoff built a team around key veterans and younger stars, many of whom became passionate about the game while playing in youth leagues. Later, we see the beginnings of success through the eyes of one specific player, forward Mario Götze, in a diary-like chapter on the 2010 World Cup experience. Dealing with issues such as injuries, teamwork, the lineup, and an assortment of unseen circumstances, Germany still prevailed on the world's biggest stage in 2014. VERDICT Of the many recently published soccer titles, this is a most welcome addition. The result, like Germany's team, is at the championship level.—Boyd Childress, formerly with Auburn Univ. Libs., AL

Library Journal