Once Pele said, ‘The World Cup is a very important way to measure the good players, and the great ones. It is a test of a great player’. Indeed, greatness goes hand in hand with the grandeur of this sporting event that, beyond the daily dose of human sufferings, has embraced humankind to show a parallel reality of life. The Most Incredible World Cup Stories traces the exhilarating journey of the biggest sporting contest through time immemorial—from its genesis to its more recent glories—with tales of grit, spirit and heroics in every turn of its long-trodden path. Far from listing out the number-heavy statistics, this book aims at digging up the narratives that became eternal subtexts in this phenomenal journey, where a game became a political statement, prides got tamed, revenge proved sweet and humiliation often cherished. Luciano has already unearthed numerous stories of sports, unveiling the myths behind, which have been read in 15 languages. This time he turns his gaze to the sport that has at times mattered more than life.