Colin Shindler has something special in his latest offering, Four Lions: The Lives and Times of Four Captains of England. It has the depth of a history book paired with the skill of a world-class storyteller. It’s really a unique text and it clearly gets the job done.
The book revolves around a really innovative concept, telling the story of English society and football through the lives of Billy Wright, Bobby Moore, Gary Lineker, and David Beckham. Yes, there are some obvious differences between Wright and Beckham and Moore and Lineker. Wright was a war hero in World War II, while Beckham married one of the Spice Girls and became one of the world’s most attractive brands. Moore was a World Cup legend, while Lineker found life at the BBC after a decorated career. Yet you will still find some core things remain unchanged over time. Passion, skill, honor and leadership never fall out of style when it comes to England’s captains. Decades may pass, but the values stay the same.
It becomes quite clear that it means something to be part of the English National Team and it means even more to be a leader, a captain.
Shindler is part historian and part football connoisseur. The historical context surrounding each captain is paired with the key happenings of that footballing era. The way that it is done is quite magical.
If you love the English game, you absolutely, positively need to buy this one. It’s a great read that can be enjoyed in between World Cup games during the next few weeks. It’s truly the story of England and I can’t imagine it being done any better.
