BFG: Big Friendly German

by Per Mertesacker, Raphael Honigstein, Ceylan Hussein (Translator)

At Arsenal, the club where he won the FA Cup three times, Per Mertesacker was affectionately called the Big Friendly German. Standing at 6ft 6in, he was the defender who took fitness so seriously that he invested ten per-cent of his annual salary on personal therapists. His endurance would help him in a decade- long career with the German national team which culminated in him lifting the World Cup in 2014. In his autobiography, Mertesacker reveals the story of that summer in Brazil, explaining the tactical tricks of Jogi Low as well as the motivational arts of Arsene Wenger. He asks himself to what extent talent plays a role in football, having been a youth who was told he had too little of it until he was promoted by Ralf Rangnick at Hannover 96. Now the academy manager at Arsenal, Mertesacker details what it really takes to become a success in the game he started playing when he was just four years old.

Genres: Football, Biography, Nonfiction

245 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 14, 2019

Reviews

[Jonny Keen]

I was given a free copy of this book to review for IRAIW. Link below!

https://www.itsroundanditswhite.co.uk...

[Janina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.5

It’s a book about Per, a player I am extremely fond of, co-written with Raph Honigstein, one of my favorite football writers. I knew I was going to like this book, and I wasn’t disappointed. Per has incredible insight, both in football and in life. And he does not hesitate to drop names AND tea. Love it.

[John Newcomb · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a little unlike many biographies and shows how footballers lives are now so very different to the over indulgence of the past. Per is the consumate athelete who experimented with lots of new therapies to keep at the top of his game. Not a guy to take down to the local. That probably explains his world cup winners medal.

[David Przybylinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Per Mertesacker joined Arsenal in 2011 I wasn’t sure what to think. Here’s this big tall lanky defender could he be good enough? Well he was and did a great job I. The time that he was with Arsenal.

What I didn’t know about him was his past and where he came from. This book really gives you an insight to how he got started in a small town outside of Hanover to his professional start and all the success he had for club and country.

I’m glad to still see him sticking around with Arsenal and working with the academy kids to help develop new talent.

Great read, well worth buying.

[David Przybylinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Per Mertesacker joined Arsenal in 2011 I wasn’t sure what to think. Here’s this big tall lanky defender could he be good enough? Well he was and did a great job I. The time that he was with Arsenal.

What I didn’t know about him was his past and where he came from. This book really gives you an insight to how he got started in a small town outside of Hanover to his professional start and all the success he had for club and country.

I’m glad to still see him sticking around with Arsenal and working with the academy kids to help develop new talent.

Great read, well worth buying.

[Roy Saikali · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting autobiography, but the translation from German to English can be a bit suspect

[Rangga Satya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of insight