Steve Hodge’s The Man with Maradona’s Shirt is a classic. It is a trip back in time to a footballing world that no longer exists. A world without stars making hundreds of thousands a week, a world without players refusing to warm up, a world without wealthy oligarches owning billion dollar clubs.
It feels as if Hodge is telling his story to a close friend as the book has a conversational style that flows nicely from start to finish. The book tells the reader about Hodge’s meteoric rise from youth player to a national teamer at the World Cup, from playing against the top youth talent to facing off against Maradona.
Hodge gives us an insider’s perspective into the English game, taking the reader into the locker room and out on the pitch. We hear about his time with Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa, Tottenham, and of course the England National Team. You will even hear about the story behind the book’s clever title, how Hodge’s career was changed in a single instant.
Soccer biographies are a dime a dozen, but this one is a sure thing.
Purchase the book here.
