Girls with Goals - by Clelia Castro-Malaspina (Hardcover)

About the Book

"'Women playing soccer?! What an oddity! What a hilarious sight!' This was the reaction when women first took to the soccer field in 1881. Since the sport's humble beginnings, female soccer players faced--and overcame--obstacles to playing the sports they love. Girls with Goals dives deep into the history of women's soccer, detailing its early days in the factory yards of northern England, the impact of a fifty-year ban, the unofficial world cup that followed, the launch of its popularity inspired by a gutsy American squad, and the progress that paved the way for the astonishing victories that have made the women's game the global phenomenon it is today. The rise of the women's game is a twisty, turny but triumphantly feminist tale and is one of the most fascinating stories in sports--and women's--history. It's a story of athletic excellence, camaraderie and friendship, strength of character, and resilience--all with a feminine touch. Throughout its nearly one-hundred-and-fifty-year history, female soccer players have pushed the game forward, setting fresh goals every time they reached a new level of success. Despite all the barriers that stood before them all along the way, nothing could stop these girls with goals." --

Book Synopsis

The twisty, turny but triumphant rise of women's soccer is one of the most fascinating stories in sports - and women's - history.

From the very birth of the sport in 19th century England, girls and women have always found a way to play - and keeping playing - the sport they love, in spite of the bans, challenges, rules, and backward-looking attitudes.

Fast forward to today and women's soccer is now officially a global powerhouse. It is the most popular women's sport in the world with an ever-growing number of players, supporters, and viewers.

With stunningly adept storytelling and a wealth of historical and up-to-date imagery Girls with Goals tells this fascinating story from its origins in working class England to the worldwide phenomenon it is today.

Whether you are just starting out in your football journey or you are an experienced player who already loves the sport, you'll come to understand women's football in a completely new way through intriguing tales and anecdotes, and meeting important characters in the sport from past and present - including from the perspective of marginalized sportspeople.

A love letter to women's soccer and the female athletes who inspired girls all over the world to pull on their cleats, Girls with Goals will honor the women who fought hard to play the sport they loved and paved the way for athletes playing all women's sports today.

The full story of the history of the women's game has yet to be told for the YA market so Girls with Goals is a book that every young soccer lover needs on their shelf.

Review Quotes

"Wonderfully researched book"

--The Sun

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

--Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Clelia Castro-Malaspina is the author of books for teens and children, including Your Freedom, Your Power: A Kid's Guide to the First Amendment. Kirkus called this book "current, insightful and savvy," and in its starred review, Booklist asserted that the book "empowers kids." Clelia has been an attorney and a literary agent, and currently runs her children's book editorial business, Mossy Pines Creative. She lives on Mercer Island Washington, an island suburb of Seattle, with her husband and two daughters.