Last updated: 28 april, 2010 - 17:50 GMT

A funny history of the World Cup

"I am a football fan, of course I am, and this book is written for football fans by a football fan." With his drawings, Argentine cartoonist Germán Aczel offers a unique journey throughout the history of the World Cup. Here Uruguay and Argentina leap onto the pitch in the first final of the World Cup played at the Centenario stadium in Montevideo.
"World Cup 1930-2010", published by UK SportsBooks, reviews in detail every World Cup, underlining the most stunning landmark moments, and there's a cartoon strip of the final, like this Ghiggia goal, which gave Uruguay their second title after beating Brazil in the "Maracanazo".
"First I chose the images that had the most impact on me, after asking friends and looking at books or the Internet, but I always focused on what most interests the football fan." Bobby Moore was captain of the England team when the inventors of football won their first and so far only World Cup title.
Pelé alongside Jairzinho in a picture showing "O Rei" celebrating his goal in the final in Mexico 1970, his third World Cup title. "Schoolmates, friends, tell me now that when they see the book they remember when I used to draw the Boca goals at school on Mondays after the game. Boca Juniors is my club."
"The first memory I have of the World Cups is of cutting up pieces of paper to welcome Argentina onto the pitch. Unfortunately, I only cut up papers while my brothers went to the stadium." An outstanding debt that was finally settled this year. "It's my dream job because I've been working on this for years and now it's all worked out."
"I was in tears when drawing him. I remembered how much he impressed me as a boy. I was twelve, an age when you start to realize your surroundings, and I am grateful that I was lucky enough to live through the time Maradona was playing." Diego's second goal against England is for many the best in World Cup history.
"Who would not be shocked by Zidane's headbutt? That moment of madness that any human being can have, when your mind goes blank. A unforgettable negative moment . Just for the record, I love Zidane, he was a great player. The header just made him human."
"All kids draw when you give them a pencil. Some better than others, but they all scribble. In my case once I started I just never stopped." Since starting at the age of 16, Germán Aczel's drawings have taken him all over the world, and finally to Germany. There he met his wife Johanna, dancing tango, his other great passion.

Argentine artist German Aczel - one of his country's leading cartoonists - has turned his pen and his attention to the history of football's most prestigious tournament - the World Cup.

Known for his vibrant style, Aczel's caricatures capture the competition from its beginnings in 1930, when the competition was won on home soil by Uruguay, to the upcoming 2010 tournament in South Africa - the first time the competition will be staged in Africa.

Aczel, who now lives in Germany, has drawn on iconic photographs from past competitions and includes Pele celebrating in 1970, England captain Bobby Moore on the shoulders of his teammates after their one and only World Cup truimph in 1966, and French legend Zidane's infamous exit from the 2006 competition, when he was sent off for headbutting Italian defender Marco Materazzi in the final.