Books with author Frank Worrall

Mario Balotelli is already a footballing legend - and he's only 22. Incredibly talented, yet frequently controversial both on and off the pitch, Balotelli lit up the Premier League from the moment he signed for Manchester City in 2010. Born in Italy to Ghanaian parents, he suffered life-threatening health problems as a baby. By the age of three he had recovered, but his parents then entrusted him to a foster family and Mario grew up in the affluent village of Concesio. He began his footballing career with Lumezzane, earning promotion to the first team at the age of just 15. Balotelli's skill soon brought him to the attention of Inter Milan and he signed with them in 2006. Having made his first team debut in 2007, he became the youngest Inter player to score in the Champions League in November 2008. His second season at Inter was blighted by disciplinary problems, and a series of high-profile clashes with manager Jose Mourinho paved the way for a move to the Premier League. Reunited with former boss Roberto Mancini at Manchester City, Balotelli soon made his mark with a series of stunning goals - and yet more incidents - which led to him being the subject of increasingly implausible newspaper reports about his antics. But the 2010/11 season was to end in glory, with a man-of-the-match performance as City won the FA Cup. A stunning performance in the Euro 2012 semi-final against Germany sealed Balotelli's status as a legend. This was eclipsed in the final game of the 2011/12 Premier League season, when Balotelli provided the assist to Sergio Aguero, who scored in the 94th minute to give City their first league title since 1968. He is sure to provide entertainment, goals and controversy for years to come. Mercurial, troublesome and frequently brilliant, this is the incredible story of the most fascinating man in world football today.

Gareth Bale is the future of Real Madrid and the beating heart of the sensational Wales national side.Although always an exceptional athlete (at school his PE teacher had to impose special restrictions on him to make it fair for other pupils), at one time it seemed like Bale’s terrible injury record would stop him from ever fulfilling his potential. But in the season of 2012/13 he caught fire for Tottenham Hotspur and never looked back, bagging a PFA Player of the Year Award and—ultimately—a move to the world’s biggest club. His transfer to Real Madrid made him the world’s most expensive footballer, in a staggering deal said to eclipse the previous record fee Real paid for Cristiano Ronaldo, and his life changed forever. After winning the Champions League twice with them, and spearheading Wales’s astonishing charge to the semi-finals of the 2016 Euros, he is now lining up to compete with Neymar and Pogba for the position of the world’s next premier player.In this revealing portrait of the player, acclaimed football biographer Frank Worrall delves behind the headlines to give an insight into just how the boy from Cardiff went on to become the world’s most in demand player. He also traces how his relationship with the notoriously competitive Ronaldo unfolded and how he has gradually emerged from his teammate’s shadow to become Real Madrid’s most prized asset, and a Welsh national hero.

Eric Cantona's era at Manchester United was as thrilling and monumental as it was controversial and harrowing. Never was it dull, predictable or boring. Cantona carved a niche in the hearts of United fans everywhere and became the undisputed King of Old Trafford. The Frenchman made the number seven shirt his own and he certainly lived up to its magical billing as the shirt worn the club's legends - and, more often than not, its bad boys.In this authoritative and fascinating book, Frank Worrall takes a look behind the facts and the fiction of the five men who have worn the shirt with the most distinction. With the help of players, journalists and a psychologist, he analyses what made Best, Robson, Cantona, Beckham and Ronaldo tick and assesses their credentials for a permanent place in the Old Trafford hall of fame.For example, he looks at how Best finally ripped away the cobwebs of Munich by winning the European Cup almost single-handedly for United; how Cantona turned the club back into winners after a dismal spell in the wilderness and how Ronaldo has offered hope and glitter to a United in transition. It also explores the often darker side to the five men and how mischief so often goes hand in hand with their success and how it made them the entertainers they are.

Gareth Bale is the future of Real Madrid and the beating heart of the sensational Wales national side. Although always an exceptional athlete, at one time it seemed like Bale s terrible injury record would stop him from ever fulfilling his potential. But in the season of 2012-2013, he caught fire for Tottenham Hotspur and never looked back, bagging a PFA Player of the Year Award and a move to the world s biggest club. His transfer to Real Madrid made him the world s most expensive player, and his life changed forever. This revealing portrait delves into just how the boy from Cardiff went on to become the world s most in-demand player. It also traces how his relationship with the notoriously competitive Ronaldo unfolded and how he has gradually emerged from his teammate s shadow to become Real Madrid s most prized asset, and a Welsh national hero.

PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONSOn 2 May 2016, 5000-1 outsiders Leicester City were confirmed as winners of the Premier League, in one of the greatest sporting shocks in history.This most momentous of victories was fuelled by the goals, determination and desire of one Jamie Richard Vardy, a man who only a few years previously had been stuck in non-league football. Too small to play, too slight to mix it, earning so little that he was being forced out of the game he loved, the odds on what was to follow could not have been longer.Yet after a meteoric rise through the football ranks, Jamie Vardy squared his shoulders against all the naysayers and set the Premier League on fire. By the time Christmas of 2015 rolled around, he had scored in eleven consecutive games, breaking Manchester United's Ruud van Nistelrooy's twelve-year-old record in the process, and Leicester were well on their way to this most stunning of footballing triumphs. In The Boy From Nowhere, bestselling sports writer Frank Worrall traces the true story of how Jamie Vardy went from non-league journeyman to inspirational talisman for Premier League champions Leicester City. This is the incredible tale of Jamie Vardy, the boy who came from nowhere to the top of the world.

Nemanja Vidic is one of the best defenders playing in the English Premier League today, a cult figure among Manchester United fans he has enjoyed a meteoric rise to football stardom. Born in Serbia in 1981, Vidic began playing football at the age of just 7 and was quickly spotted by local clubs. By 15 he was signed to Red Star Belgrade's youth system and by 20 he had won the Yugoslav Cup. The captain's armband soon followed and he led his Red Star team to a domestic double in 2004 -- that was to be his last season with the club as he moved into the Russian Premier League and Spartak Moscow. His outstanding play and no-nonsense style soon caught the attention of foreign clubs and in 2006 he signed for Manchester United joining Rio Ferdinand in defence to form one of the most formidable partnerships in English football. Loved by the Old Trafford faithful Vidic was short-listed for the PFA Player of the Year in 2009 and was named Manchester United fans' and players' Player of the Year.

The exciting life story of Javier Hernandez—better known to legions of Manchester United fans as Chicharito Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, Hernandez joined his local club C.D. Guadalajara at the age of nine and signed his first contract at 15. Making his full debut in 2006, he impressed in the Mexican league so much so that he caught the eye of a Manchester United scout in 2009. He signed for United in April of 2010 and scored on his debut in the MLS All-Star Game on July 28. Since then, Hernandez has continued to light up the Old Trafford pitch, becoming a firm favorite with fans who voted him Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year in 2011, scoring vital goals for the club. He became the first player since Ruud van Nistelrooy to score more than 20 goals in his debut season as United clinched a record-equaling 19th Premier League title. Despite some injury concerns in the opening half of the 2011/12 season, he has continued to be a major player in the United lineup. Still only 24 years old, the "little pea" has committed himself to United until 2016 and looks set to help the Reds to yet more glory.

England manager Gareth Southgate's decision to appoint Kane, still just twenty-three years old, as the team captain in 2017 could have been seen as premature, bringing with it pressure that could damage a young player's career. However, he knew that Kane, a modest, humble and inspiring figure was up to the task.Having lost faith in the national team, English fans weren't sure the players would even make it out of their group. No one could have predicted that this young and relatively inexperienced side would achieve their best result since 1990, or that their captain would win the tournament's Golden Boot with six goals. Perhaps most importantly for the team and their manager, they brought the country together to make for an unforgettable summer.While their eventual semi-final loss to Croatia came as a stinging disappointment, this is just the start for the team and their skipper, one of our most exciting players for a generation and a truly world-class English star.In this in-depth biography, bestselling sports writer Frank Worrall traces Kane's journey from an ordinary childhood in north London, growing up just a few miles from White Hart Lane, to the most remarkable tournament of his career.

He's the best striker in soccer today—and the most controversial—and this is the first biography of the Uruguayan superstarHe has transformed Liverpool into a title-chasing team, but Suarez has also consistently grabbed the headlines for all the wrong reasons. In this first biography on the player, soccer biographer Frank Worrall digs deep to reveal what makes Suarez tick as a soccer player and a man. It tells the full story of how a troubled boy from a poverty-stricken neighborhood became the most coveted striker in world soccer today. By the age of 18 he was in the first team at Nacional and played a major role in their 2006 league triumph. Yet, for all the accolades he was earning, he missed his childhood sweetheart, Sofia, who had left Montevideo after her parents moved to Barcelona. Now Luis had a new ambition: to join a club in Europe so they could be together again. Fortunately, Luis earned a move to Holland and was reunited with the girl who would eventually become his wife, becoming the star player at Groningen before moving to Dutch giants, Ajax. Events took a turn for the worse when he became public enemy number one at the 2010 World Cup after handballing on the line in Uruguay’s quarter-final against Ghana. Next, his time in Holland ended in shame when he was banned for biting an opponent, earning the unwanted nickname of "The Cannibal of Ajax." In January 2011, Liverpool provided him with an escape route from Amsterdam and he quickly became the hero of the Kop with his spectacular repertoire of goals. He was lauded as the best number seven at the club since the legendary Kenny Dalglish—but also lambasted for biting Branislav Ivanovic and becoming embroiled in a race row with Patrice Evra. Hero and villain, this is the full, undiluted story of Luis Suarez, the King of the Kop.

Javier Hernandez - better known to legions of Manchester United fans as Chicharito - is one of the most exciting young talents in football today.Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, Hernandez joined his local club C D Guadalajara at the age of nine and signed his first contract at 15. Making his full debut in 2006, he impressed in the Mexican league so much that he caught the eye of a Manchester United scout in 2009. He signed for United on 8 April 2010 and scored on his debut in the MLS All-Star Game on 28 July. Since then, Hernandez has continued to light up the Old Trafford pitch, becoming a firm favourite with fans (who voted him Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year in 2011) and scoring vital goals for the club. He became the first player since Ruud van Nistelrooy to score more than 20 goals in his debut season as United clinched a record-equalling 19th Premier League title, and despite some injury concerns in the opening half of the 2011/12 season, he has continued to be a major player for United. Still only 24 years old, the 'little pea' has committed himself to United until 2016 and looks set to help the Reds to yet more glory. This is his fascinating story.

He's the best striker in world football today - but also the most controversial. Banned three times for biting opponents - including the shameful episode with Italy's Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil - Luis Suarez has also been embroiled in a race row with Manchester United's Patrice Evra and been public enemy number one at the 2010 World Cup after handballing on the line in Uruguay's quarter-final against Ghana.Yet on the field he has brought only goals galore and glory to every team he has played for. At 18 he was in the first eleven at Uruguay's top club Nacional and played a major role in their 2006 league triumph. Then he captained Ajax Amsterdam to Dutch Cup glory in Holland and transformed Liverpool into a titlechasing team in 2013-14. Almost miraculously, Suarez then overcame an ankle injury operation to kill off England with two wonderful goals in the 2014 World Cup.It was the prospect of such remarkable feats that encouraged Spanish giants Barcelona to offer a mind-boggling ?72million for his services in the summer of 2014 - despite his four-month ban for biting Chiellini. Yet what exactly makes this brilliant, but flawed, man tick? What demons lie behind his 'cannibal' acts, his cheating and his frequent bust-ups with fellow pros, and the clubs and managers who fall over themselves to employ him? Just why is Suarez incapable of steering clear from controversy?In this first-ever biography on the Uruguayan superstar, renowned footballing biographer Frank Worrall reveals the good, the bad and the downright ugly traits that define Suarez the footballer and Suarez the man. Here is the inside story of how a troubled boy from a poverty-stricken neighbourhood became the most coveted striker in world football today. How he had to overcome crushing setbacks at every stage of his life: the heartbreak of being abandoned by his father when just a boy, being forced to leave behind his friends in his beloved hometown El Salto for the soulless Montevideo and watching his sweetheart, Sofia, walk away from him.From King of the Kop to World Cup pariah, both hero and villain - this is the full, undiluted story of the footballing phenomenon known as Luis Suarez.