Soccer's 2006 World Cup is months away, and the buildup is already captivating fans. In North America, interest in the game has never been higher: The U.S. team stormed through qualifiers for next year's tournament in Germany; movies like Bend It Like Beckham are endearing the sport to a new generation; youth soccer programs are flourishing; and the 12 Major League Soccer franchises are attracting unprecedented crowds.
Just in time for the finals of the World Cup, more than six hundred photographs, most in color, capture the action-packed world of international soccer at its finest and its stars, past and present, including Pelé, Franz Beckenbauer, David Beckham, Michael Platini, Claudio Reyna, and others.
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