Soccer mania may not have swept the US, but in the rest of the Americas and much of the rest of the world soccer is, to be irreverent, a religion. This collection of essays comments on the impact futbol makes in Latin American culture and its popularity among Latinos in the US. From its British roots and elitist society to its popularity among the poorer masses, the game has narrowed the class gap at least on one level. While the 12 essays in this collection have one unifying theme that is soccer, the topics ventured into include politics, sports, music, food, riots and wars of the past century. The book serves to boost knowledge, open the gates of debate and foster research. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)