Celebrate the Fifa World Cup 2026 with This is Football, a photo book charting the sport’s history

Jun 11, 2026

Pelé in action for Brazil against Bulgaria during a Fifa World Cup 1966 match in Liverpool, England. Photo: Rolls Press/Popperfoto via Getty Images

As the biggest tournament in world football kicks off, this lavish book looks back at seminal moments involving Lionel Messi, David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, Pelé and more

From June 11 to July 19, the Fifa World Cup 2026 will be hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico on a continent where football is gaining ground against the locally dominant sports of American football, basketball and baseball.

One of many memorable images from the book, This is Football: Barcelona’s Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates with his teammate, Ronaldinho of Brazil, after scoring against rivals Real Madrid in a Spanish league match in Barcelona, in 2007. Photo: AFP via Getty Images

With 48 teams competing for the title in 104 matches across 16 cities, it is set to be the biggest World Cup tournament in history, expected to draw more than 5 million fans into stadiums and billions more to screens in bars and living rooms around the world.

Diego Maradona of Argentina (No 10) takes on a clutch of concerned Belgium defenders at the 1982 Fifa World Cup in Spain. Photo: Allsport

Modern football has come a long way since its roots in 19th century Britain, where the first professional football league was formed in 1888. The game has since become faster and far more commercial, shaped by generations of greats – from Pelé and Diego Maradona, to Lionel Messi, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo, and now rising stars such as Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembélé.

David Beckham of England celebrates his late equalising goal with teammate Emile Heskey, during the World Cup group qualifier against Greece in Manchester, England, in 2001. England sealed qualification after the game ended 2-2. Photo: Allsport

Once excluded from the game, women too were finally given football’s biggest stage at the inaugural Fifa Women’s World Cup in China in 1991, when the US defeated Norway 2-1 in Guangzhou. If the men’s game has yet to fully conquer North America, the US women’s team has played a crucial role in expanding the sport’s reach, helping to inspire legions of women and girls in the US and around the world.

England’s Alex Greenwood (right) competes for the ball with Australia’s Ellie Carpenter during the Fifa Women’s World Cup 2023 semi-final in Sydney. Photo: AFP via Getty Images

That more inclusive spirit, along with a reverence for the great names and games of the past, is at the heart of Daniel Melamud’s 2024 book, This Is Football. Organised by player position, from goalkeeper to forward, each chapter spotlights some of the most famous players and the historic moments they helped shape.

Brazilian goalkeeper Cláudio Taffarel celebrates victory in the 1994 Fifa World Cup final in Pasadena, California with Roberto Baggio of Italy (in blue) missing the decisive penalty. Brazil won the penalty shoot-out 3-2 after the match ended 0-0. Photo: Getty Images