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Foul!: the Secret World of Fifa; Bribes, Vote Rigging and Ticket Scandals
Andrew Jennings, an award-winning investigative sports reporter, spent four years delving into the dark side of 'the beautiful game'. The result is this explosive and damning expose of the officials that run football's world governing body, FIFA .No individual has managed to penetrate the sanctified domain of FIFA and probed successfully into its often criticized yet unproven corruption of the world game. Until now.Author Andrew Jennings argues how FIFA President Sepp Blatter and his associates have misappropriated their position at the head of the world game in their desire for power, control, and a lucrative pay-off. How did these bizarre characters manage to take such control? Foul! is the explosive story.Jennings has undertaken unprecedented research in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas, interviewing hundreds of officials and amassing an extraordinary library of damning documents.He tells how Blatter and his cronies built an invincible electoral machine to keep him in power forever. He revisits the 1970s and the privatization of international sport and its revenues by a close-knit group of officials and marketing agents working for their own self-interest.
Hardcover
First published May 2, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
May 4, 2012
I can only give this book 3 stars but its not the books fault!! This was published in 2007 and I should have read it then rather than now. Anyone in the football world now knows Blatter is a crook, Jack warner is a crook and the whole of FIFA is broken. So wish I had read it earlier but still a decent read
July 17, 2025
It was going strong, but ended abruptly. It was published in 2007 so should have probably read it then.
August 7, 2012
Exposing the sordid world of life inside football's governing body, this book is enough to provoke rage in anyone who first became enchanted by football as a sport, not as a jolly and a means of stuffing pockets with wads of cash.
November 23, 2010
Great book
August 13, 2011
Interesting investigation, somewhat depressing if you're a footie fan. So many scum leading the Football world. But very interesting.
February 3, 2012
Everyone involved in football should read it. Why this doesn't smash FIFA into pieces I have no idea.
October 2, 2012
FIFA is so corrupt...
The world needs more champions like Andrew Jennings. Well done.
The world needs more champions like Andrew Jennings. Well done.
February 14, 2013
As a football fan, this book made me both angry and sad. If you like the 'beautiful' game, this book is unfortunately necessary reading.
December 28, 2022
Good Lord. An utterly ridiculous collection of small-minded, petty, venal, grasping men.
April 19, 2011
Informative so far
December 17, 2022
(4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars)
This book wasn't perfect, there were a couple of chapters which were average, rather than the normal standard of very good or excellent. I thought a slightly unfair caricature of Stanley Rous was drawn, given what I read in David Conn's excellent book on FIFA. That book showed that Rous was far more innovative than given credit for, was the person who first connected Dassler with FIFA and though mistaken in not banning South Africa from FIFA, he was an opponent not apologist for apartheid. All that said the vast majority of this book is excellent, written by an investigative journalist at the top of his game.
Jennings has a writing style which draws you in. It's written in a thrilling pacy style and explains corruption and financial chicanery in a way the average Joe Public like me can understand. It reads like a real life thriller and I enjoyed every moment of reading it, though sometimes the level of corruption and personal shabbiness of those involved in FIFA made my jaw drop.
The way he writes about Jack Warner is excellent. Long before this Lord of misrule and corruption was finally removed from FIFA and held accountable for his crimes, Jenninngs was on his case and showing him to be to nasty charlatan he was.
The drawing of Blatter is not positive to say the least and the way his lawyers tried to stop this book from being published, banning Jennings from FIFA press conferences as well as his personal role in the tawdry Visa and Mastercard negotiations, showed Blatter fairly in a very poor light.
This book also gives you an insight in to the tools of the trade when it comes to investigative journalism and the intimidation you can face for revealing what those in power don't want the public to see.
Of course this book finishes in 2007 and a lot has happened since then covered well by David Conn. If you want to understand how FIFA went on the path that led to its darkest days it has faced so far, as described exceedingly well by Conn, then this excellent book by the late and missed Andrew Jennings is for you. If you want to understand the heart of darkness and den of thievery that was FIFA and sadly I think in many ways it remains that same organisation, I would recommend reading Jennings book, then Conn's.
This book wasn't perfect, there were a couple of chapters which were average, rather than the normal standard of very good or excellent. I thought a slightly unfair caricature of Stanley Rous was drawn, given what I read in David Conn's excellent book on FIFA. That book showed that Rous was far more innovative than given credit for, was the person who first connected Dassler with FIFA and though mistaken in not banning South Africa from FIFA, he was an opponent not apologist for apartheid. All that said the vast majority of this book is excellent, written by an investigative journalist at the top of his game.
Jennings has a writing style which draws you in. It's written in a thrilling pacy style and explains corruption and financial chicanery in a way the average Joe Public like me can understand. It reads like a real life thriller and I enjoyed every moment of reading it, though sometimes the level of corruption and personal shabbiness of those involved in FIFA made my jaw drop.
The way he writes about Jack Warner is excellent. Long before this Lord of misrule and corruption was finally removed from FIFA and held accountable for his crimes, Jenninngs was on his case and showing him to be to nasty charlatan he was.
The drawing of Blatter is not positive to say the least and the way his lawyers tried to stop this book from being published, banning Jennings from FIFA press conferences as well as his personal role in the tawdry Visa and Mastercard negotiations, showed Blatter fairly in a very poor light.
This book also gives you an insight in to the tools of the trade when it comes to investigative journalism and the intimidation you can face for revealing what those in power don't want the public to see.
Of course this book finishes in 2007 and a lot has happened since then covered well by David Conn. If you want to understand how FIFA went on the path that led to its darkest days it has faced so far, as described exceedingly well by Conn, then this excellent book by the late and missed Andrew Jennings is for you. If you want to understand the heart of darkness and den of thievery that was FIFA and sadly I think in many ways it remains that same organisation, I would recommend reading Jennings book, then Conn's.
April 16, 2020
This book is about scandals and problems in Soccer (or football) and gives you a deep view into the lives of the people involved in them and how they reacted. This can teach you how money can affect large corporations and make them do poor decisions like FIFA. It helps realize how the Soccer community was before and after these.
Andrew Jennings talked about how FIFA was severely damaged by these scandals and what happened to the people. Foul!: The Secret World of Fifa: Bribes, Vote Rigging, and Ticket Scandals is a book that talks more about what happens and happened in the inside of the beautiful game and not as much as the outside. He is looking at the compromises and the people running the FAs and not actual people playing Soccer.
Andrew Jennings talked about how FIFA was severely damaged by these scandals and what happened to the people. Foul!: The Secret World of Fifa: Bribes, Vote Rigging, and Ticket Scandals is a book that talks more about what happens and happened in the inside of the beautiful game and not as much as the outside. He is looking at the compromises and the people running the FAs and not actual people playing Soccer.
July 14, 2024
It was an eye-opener for a fan like myself! What we witness on screen is nothing less than spectacles. However, we seldom know what strings are being pulled behind the screens... and this book lays it all in the open for us to observe and be informed.
September 10, 2017
Esclarecedor
March 29, 2020
Shocking and probably still on going.
August 11, 2020
Too verbose
January 17, 2023
God what a bunch of corrupt bastards. Tenacious reporting by Jennings. Great reading even now when so much more has happened.
FIFA is not fit for purpose and hasn't been for a very long time.
FIFA is not fit for purpose and hasn't been for a very long time.
October 24, 2018
I found this book exceptional. It is written like a who done it, with a fast pace writing style and it includes a dastardly villian. The plot is also something out of fiction and without the events of the last few years proving the author correct it would be beyond belief.
July 20, 2016
One important notice. If you love football and enjoy the beauty of game on pitch, do not read this book. You will be sad and you will understand that external beauty is balanced by shadow backstage.
If you are disgusted from events in your country football association, if you can not say anything good about your country football administration, then this book exactly for you. Unclean and behind the scenes practices are common for most of the football association, with Fifa at the forefront.
In more than 300 pages you will find complex picture of misusing of power, corruption and indemnity by law. Transnational organisation, which have more than 170 member states, have all the signs of undemocratic dictatorship. You can not be surprised as most of the 170 member states are not exactly democracy. If there is saying, that power corrupts, in case of Fifa this saying is absolutely true. Anybody who find his way to the top of organisation, find himself in position where he controls millions of dollars in revenues which football brings. And there is not so many people who could resist temptation of keeping this power forever. And you can keep this power if you will redistribute revenues in right way, to concrete persons with voting right. And that is it. Football association is about money. Exteral independent control? Forget it.
Andrew Jenning is journalist, who writes about awkard practises in Fifa for years. He uses style when on small space you will be overhelmed by plenty of informations and facs. Book “Foul!” contains facts and findings about Fifa from year 1974 till present. Sometimes reader is lost between names and relationships. Difference between newspaper article and book full of facts is seen. However if you read this book as statement about practices in Fifa, you will find lot of usefull information and you will get clear picture about state of Fifa.
If you are disgusted from events in your country football association, if you can not say anything good about your country football administration, then this book exactly for you. Unclean and behind the scenes practices are common for most of the football association, with Fifa at the forefront.
In more than 300 pages you will find complex picture of misusing of power, corruption and indemnity by law. Transnational organisation, which have more than 170 member states, have all the signs of undemocratic dictatorship. You can not be surprised as most of the 170 member states are not exactly democracy. If there is saying, that power corrupts, in case of Fifa this saying is absolutely true. Anybody who find his way to the top of organisation, find himself in position where he controls millions of dollars in revenues which football brings. And there is not so many people who could resist temptation of keeping this power forever. And you can keep this power if you will redistribute revenues in right way, to concrete persons with voting right. And that is it. Football association is about money. Exteral independent control? Forget it.
Andrew Jenning is journalist, who writes about awkard practises in Fifa for years. He uses style when on small space you will be overhelmed by plenty of informations and facs. Book “Foul!” contains facts and findings about Fifa from year 1974 till present. Sometimes reader is lost between names and relationships. Difference between newspaper article and book full of facts is seen. However if you read this book as statement about practices in Fifa, you will find lot of usefull information and you will get clear picture about state of Fifa.
January 12, 2020
Você não precisa gostar de futebol para se embasbacar com as revelações feitas por Jennings sobre corrupção, lavagem de dinheiro e proprina nas negociações feitas pela FIFA desda época de Havelange.
Com uma narrativa que poderia muito bem ser trama de ficção, Jogo Sujo mostra o pior lado das pessoas que já não valem muito quando elas chegam a uma posição de poder. O alto escalão da FIFA se intrometeu na política de governos como Haiti e Trinidad e Tobago, teve campanhas eleitorais pagas por chefões do mundo árabe que ganharam em troca uma Copa do Mundo, fizeram uma seleção sub-20 perder a oportunidade de disputar as Olimpíadas por mero despeito, e ainda tiveram a coragem de fazer até Nelson Mandela de idiota.
Com uma narrativa que poderia muito bem ser trama de ficção, Jogo Sujo mostra o pior lado das pessoas que já não valem muito quando elas chegam a uma posição de poder. O alto escalão da FIFA se intrometeu na política de governos como Haiti e Trinidad e Tobago, teve campanhas eleitorais pagas por chefões do mundo árabe que ganharam em troca uma Copa do Mundo, fizeram uma seleção sub-20 perder a oportunidade de disputar as Olimpíadas por mero despeito, e ainda tiveram a coragem de fazer até Nelson Mandela de idiota.
August 11, 2020
A great exposé on the corruption inside FIFA and the football (soccer) world. It is impossible to see the sport through those idealistic rosy colored lenses again. This is, indeed, the kind of book that makes every football fan sad. Several years have passed since this book was written and it seems that it only had scratched the surface.
January 9, 2014
Andrew Jennings is one fantastic man, and must keep this up.
July 3, 2015
After reading it, you'll never see soccer the same way. Around the soccer fields lies a web of corruption, big money and dirty disgusting businesses. Powerful work of Andrew Jennings!
July 20, 2016
Fantasist rubbish
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews