‘1966 A Moment in Time’ by Michael Calvin

Hbk, Bantam, £22

Apparently, there is a major sports event happening … in between matches keep your footy and culture vulture knowledge topped up with this handy social history reader.

A vivid portrait of the world in 1966, centred around the World Cup tournament and its backdrop, published to mark the 60th anniversary of the tournament.

1966, with London declared ‘a swinging city’ and John Lennon proclaiming the Beatles ‘more popular than Jesus’, the year’s football World Cup finds an international community standing at an inflection point, emerging from the long shadow of the Second World War and hurtling towards the future. Propelled by social change, civil rights movements and technological advancement the world is changing.

Through the prism of the extraordinary tournament and the eight teams that reached the quarter finals – England, West Germany, Uruguay, Argentina, Portugal, Soviet Union, North Korea and Hungary – Michael Calvin provides a vivid portrait of a critical moment in world history.

‘Around the World in 80 Clubs’ by Paul Watson

Hbk, Seven Dials, £16.99

Whether your dad is a football fanatic or an armchair pub quiz pundit – this is the perfect Father’s Day (June 21) gift.

Join renowned football writer and podcaster Paul Watson for an intrepid guide through the weird, wacky world of football.

Around the World in 80 Clubs takes the reader on a global tour of the beautiful game, from the squirrel-costume wearing fans of Andorra's UE Santa Coloma to the Buddhist monk ultras of Bhutan's Thimphu City, via Greenland's one-week season, through to priestly punch-ups in the Vatican City.

This compendium is packed with footballing stories. A book for the football lover, there will be no Manchester United, no Juventus, no Boca Juniors here.

Instead, ‘Around the World in 80 Clubs’ is filled with stories that have never been told before, shedding a humorous light on cultures and communities formed - and sustained - through football.