In a dangerous alley in a township in South Africa, the strength and unity which a group of young friends feel while playing soccer keep them safe when a gang of bullies arrives to cause trouble.
When a new gym teacher introduces her gym class to soccer, Yasmin fears it will be as rough as the professional sport but must try to find courage to play goalie.
"Koji's village is like many others. They are poor, but everyone is doing okay. The children go to school. Study hard. Play soccer. Dream big. But boyhood ends quickly. Rebel forces enter the village. Boys are forced to line up. March. Train. Carry guns. Then kill."--Back cover.
Told in two voices, Jeff stands by his teammate, Andi, who fights to get on the sixth-grade soccer team and then must face opponents who target her for being a girl.
Twelve-year-old Nick loves soccer and hates books, but soon learns the power of words as he wrestles with problems at home, stands up to a bully, and tries to impress the girl of his dreams.
Twelve-year-old Paul, who lives in the shadow of his football hero brother Erik, fights for the right to play soccer despite his near blindness and slowly begins to remember the incident that damaged his eyesight.
Collects "Soccer" and "Soccer on Sunday" in which Jack and Annie search for the fourth secret of greatness for Merlin the Magician in Mexico City at the 1970 World Cup Games where they hope to learn something new from soccer player great, Pele.
