Garrincha:
The Triumph and Tragedy of Brazil's Forgotten Footballing Hero, by Ruy
Castro, translated by Andrew Downie (2004)
GARRINCHA was the unlikeliest of footballers - with grotesquely deformed legs, he looked as if he could barely walk, but with a ball at his feet he had the poise of an angel.
The Brazilian who came to be known as 'Little Bird' was born in 1933 and came to football by accident, being discovered at the late age of 19 by a scout for Botafogo. He played football only for the love of it, uninterested in money, and ignoring advice about tactics.
This is the fascinating story of a man who was as wild off the pitch as he was brilliant on it - mischievous, audacious and dripping with sex appeal, over the course of his life he fathered at least thirteen children with different women.
Also recommended: Football in Sun and Shadow, by Eduardo Galeano (1997)