Football. Fußball. Fútbol. The Beautiful Game. No sport has ever captured the human imagination quite so completely, or united so many millions across borders, languages, and generations.
Football: The Impossible Collection distills the sport into 100 defining moments, not simply the greatest, but the most culturally seismic. Guided by the authoritative voice of Rory Smith, longtime football correspondent for The New York Times, the collection moves chronologically through the sport's extraordinary arc: from Pelé's arrival on American soil to Messi's long-awaited coronation at the 2022 World Cup, from the birth of the Premier League to Zinedine Zidane's infamous fury on the world's grandest stage. Across borders, genders, and leagues, these are the flashpoints that didn't just define football. They defined us.
True to Assouline's commitment to the object as art form, the volume arrives in a sculptural rubber-like clamshell case, its hardcover rendered in a bold field-green that makes the iconic black-and-white ball leap from the surface. The three-dimensional football at its center is not decoration; it is a declaration. With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, there has never been a more electric moment to hold this book in your hands. For those who have ever felt the pull of the beautiful game, it is nothing less than essential.
Number of illustrations
Over 150
Dimensions
W 16 x L 19 x D 4 in
Cover materials
Handcrafted volume in a luxury rubber-like clamshell case with a 3D sculpture of a football
Author
Rory Smith
About the Author
Rory Smith has covered football for the better part of twenty years, attending six World Cups, five European Championships, and eight Champions League finals. He was present for a fifth of the moments included in this collection. Prior to his current roles as football correspondent of The Observer and regular contributor to Men in Blazers, he spent eight years as chief soccer correspondent for The New York Times. He has previously written for ESPN, The Times of London, and The Independent, and is the author of two books: and Expected Goals. He is a frequent guest on BBC radio and television, as well as a member of the Libero podcast. He lives in Yorkshire, the second-best bit of Britain, with his wife, two well-behaved children, and one poorly trained dog.
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