Before Franklin Foer, Bill Bryson, and Simon Kuper wrote about soccer, best-selling author and highly respected academic Desmond Morris became a director of a soccer club in order to properly analyze the world's most popular sport. In this revelatory book, Morris shares his experiences, guiding the reader through the marked tribal components of soccer, from the life of a team, the players, and their supporters to its symbols, rites, and rules. The Soccer Tribe is a tribute to the game, seen from the perspective of a lifelong fan and specialist.

The book is divided into forty-four short chapters, each examining a vital aspect of the life of the Soccer Tribesmen. Included are Rituals (the taboos and punishments, goals and strategies); Heroes (their skills and superstitions, triumphs and defeats); Trappings (balls, costumes, banners and badges, trophies and medals); Elders (directors and referees, managers and trainers); Followers (old and young, celebrities and fans); and the Tribal Tongue (chants and slogans, cheers and curses). From Liverpool to Lyon, Bayern to Barcelona, and Manchester to Milan, Morris passionately dissects and examines every detail, all the way to the jerseys and stadium songs.