GIRLS WITH GOALS

An account of the long road to attaining equality for women’s soccer and the pitfalls met along the way, including the sport’s hardscrabble origins and its prominence as the most popular women’s sport in the world.

The author, a soccer fan and former player, opens by describing her deep love for “the world’s beautiful game.” Although she focuses on English and American teams, textboxes labeled “Global Game” spotlight women’s soccer worldwide, and significant events from other countries are woven into the general history. The text introduces readers to notable players and figures in the history of women’s soccer, emphasizing the sport’s broad geographic reach and including women who represent a range of ethnicities, nationalities, and sexualities. Each chapter relates a particular hurdle along the path to seeing women players’ efforts and achievements recognized and legitimized. Unabashedly feminist in tone, the book is well-researched, and Castro-Malaspina relates her findings with enthusiasm. Readers will be drawn into the energy of the struggle: The broad-strokes history is combined with a vivid narrative that evokes what it might have been like to be present at pivotal moments. Following those generations of women as they lose and gain ground in the fight to play feels almost like watching an actual match, ending on a sweet note of victory. Ample photos and spot art enhance the text.

A spirited, well-told success story, all the better for being true.