"The definitive book about the national identities, heroes, and dramatic stories from Latin American soccer throughout history-in time for the 2014 World Cup. "Golazo!" means "amazing goal!" And the word perfectly captures the unique, exuberant, all-encompassing, passionate role that soccer plays in Latin America. Andreas Campomar offers readers the definitive history of Latin American soccer from the early, deadly MesoAmerican ballgames to the multi-billion dollar international business it is today. Golazo! explores the intersection of soccer, politics, economics, high and low culture, and how passion for a game captured a continent. Latin American soccer will be in the global spotlight more than ever in the coming years-both the next World Cup (2014) and the Summer Olympics (2016) will be hosted in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, a country for which soccer is not just a passion but a way of life. The triumphs, the heartbreaks, the origins and the future, the political and the personal-Golazo! is the perfect book for new fans and diehard followers around the world"--