Va-Va-Voom Audiobook By Tom Williams cover art

Va-Va-Voom

The Modern History of French Football

 Preview
Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Va-Va-Voom

By: Tom Williams
Narrated by: Luis Soto
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.45

Buy for $17.45

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

 Bloomsbury presents Va-Va-Voom by Tom Williams, read by Luis Soto.

‘Excellent' – Simon Kuper, author of the bestselling FOOTBALL AGAINST THE ENEMY

‘The definitive story of how French football came of age’ – Christian Karembeu

‘Erudite and engrossing' – Vincent Duluc, lead football writer, L’ÉQUIPE

THE PLAYERS, THE TEAMS, THE GOALS, THE GAMES, THE SCANDALS, THE GLOOM AND THE GLORY: THE STORY OF FRENCH FOOTBALL’S TURBULENT EVOLUTION OVER THE LAST 40 YEARS.

French football is an enigma: a mixture of brilliance and farce, flair and frailty, stunning success and abject failure. Its domestic league is mocked on social media as an uncompetitive ‘Farmers League’ and its clubs ridiculed for underachieving in European competitions. But France have reached four of the past seven men’s World Cup finals, French players star for the world’s best clubs and at its best – the roar of the Vélodrome, the glamour of the Parc des Princes, the shimmering brilliance of Zinédine Zidane, Éric Cantona and Kylian Mbappé – French football has few equals. When it comes to scandal, meanwhile, the French are the best in the business, from sensational match-fixing affairs to squabbles over sex tapes and meltdowns within the national squad.

Tom Williams brings to life French football’s evolution over the last 40 years. He details how the idealistic romanticism of the national team in the early 1980s gave way to an Italian-style pragmatism that would lead Les Bleus to the summit of the international game, and examines how several star-studded club sides grappled with the thorny notion of how to win. By delving into French football's rich history, the book explains the myriad ways – tactical, technical and cultural – in which France has shaped the game’s evolution around the world.

Featuring exclusive interviews with great figures of the French game such as Alain Giresse, Jean-Pierre Papin, Emmanuel Petit and Blaise Matuidi, and with a cast of characters that also includes Michel Platini, Thierry Henry, Karim Benzema, Chris Waddle and Lionel Messi, it's a book no football fan will want to miss.

——

‘A comprehensive account of the highs, lows and scandals of French football’ – Jonathan Wilson, author of the bestselling INVERTING THE PYRAMID©2024 Tom Williams (P)2024 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc Europe France Soccer Sports History
adbl_web_global_use_to_activate_webcro805_stickypopup

What listeners say about Va-Va-Voom

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    3
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    4
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    3
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.com reviews

Amazon reviews
Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Xavi Fajardo Figueroa

Un fascinante paseo por la historia del fútbol francés

El fútbol no siempre fue mi pasión, pero ahora lo es. Mi historia con este deporte comenzó con el Arsenal hace quince años, y desde entonces, el fútbol inglés ha sido mi principal interés. A pesar de la influencia de ciertos entrenadores y jugadores franceses en mi equipo favorito, siempre he visto el fútbol francés con cierto desdén. Sin embargo, tras escuchar un podcast sobre la fascinante historia de este deporte en Francia, me sentí atraído y decidí buscar el libro "Va-Va-Voom".

Este libro ofrece un recorrido ameno y accesible por los hitos, eventos y figuras clave del fútbol francés, desde jugadores y entrenadores hasta presidentes y clubes. Una pregunta que siempre me ha intrigado es cómo Francia ha producido algunos de los talentos más emocionantes e impactantes de las últimas décadas, mientras que su liga y fútbol en general no han despertado el mismo nivel de pasión que el fútbol inglés, alemán, italiano o español. En "Va-Va-Voom", Williams se propone encontrar una respuesta a esta pregunta, y tras leer el libro, puedo afirmar que vale la pena descubrirla.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!