Eduardo Galeano Has Died; Here Are Excerpts From His Classic Soccer Book

Eduardo Galeano, one of the most beloved writers to ever come from Uruguay and Latin America as a whole, has passed away today at the age of 74 after succumbing to cancer. Galeano was famous for writing about politics and history and war and economics. He also brought the same passion and knowledge that he brought to those subjects to soccer.

A lifelong fan, Galeano published Soccer In Sun And Shadow in 1995, and it remains one of the sport's seminal books. Covering the history of the game in a lyrical style, often focusing on the game's all-time greats, he captured things about it that no one else ever wrote about it quite as well. During this past World Cup we brought you a few excerpts of that book, which we've linked to below, and for anyone who likes the sport at all, the entire thing is worth reading.

"Soccer"

"The Fan"

"The Manager"

"The Referee"

"The Ball"

Joga Bonito

Portugal's Eusébio Was As Gifted On The Pitch As He Was Important Off Of It

The Brilliance And Madness Of Dutch Wizard Johan Cruyff

Romário: The Hustler From Brazil's Favelas

Ruud Gullit: The Netherlands' Response To White Supremacy

Photo via AP