Cup Finals: The Greatest Football Stories Ever Told captures the magic of the cup, weaving together tales of past and present heroes and villains, glory and tragedy, outrage and joy, thrills and scapegoats, plus ‘David and Goliath’ battles.
Bringing you a fan’s-eye view of cup-final highs and lows, this engrossing book:
- Offers a fresh look at cup finals as crucibles for stories and drama
- Celebrates some of the most famous games ever played, but also grassroots football
- Spotlights players made legends by their cup-final exploits
- Blends the stories of cup finals involving major British clubs – including Arsenal, Celtic, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United – with those of European and Latin American giants
- Brings bygone cup finals to life with iconic photos
- Includes finals from the World Cup, European Cup, Africa Cup of Nations, the Women’s World Cup, Argentina, Bulgaria and more, plus the FA Cup (of course)
Some of the stories tell of global superstars in a World Cup Final, others of semi-professionals who are the pride of their village. Messi and Mbappe are here, along with a host of names and games passed down through generations. But who was the schoolboy who played in an FA Cup-winning side? What was the greatest cup final? This book is about passion and spectacle, nostalgia and corporate greed. Whose cup is it?
Cliff Hague has a long-standing love of cup finals, from listening to radio commentaries as a boy to attending the Scottish Junior Cup Final in 2024. As in his previous book, Programmes! Programmes! Football and Life from Wartime to Lockdown, he brings unique analysis and fresh insights into writing about football. He has also written for The Independent, The Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday and local evening newspapers in England and Scotland.
