Book excerpt: The definitive book about the national identities, heroes, and dramatic stories from Latin American soccer throughout history, perfect for World Cup reading. “Golazo!” means “amazing goal!” And the word perfectly captures the unique, exuberant, all-encompassing, passionate role that soccer plays in Latin America. Andreas Campomar offers readers the definitive history of Latin American soccer from the early, deadly Mesoamerican ballgames to the multi-billion dollar international business it is today. Golazo! explores the intersection of soccer, politics, economics, high and low culture, and how passion for a game captured a continent. The triumphs, the heartbreaks, the origins and the future, the political and the personal—Golazo! is the perfect book for new fans and diehard followers around the world.