Take the Ball, Pass the Ball

Take the Ball, Pass the Ball is the definitive chronicle of Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona—the greatest team ever assembled. Over four electrifying years, Guardiola’s Barça delivered football of astonishing artistry, captivating supporters around the world. In this exclusive, first-hand account spanning 2008 to 2012, the players reveal the tensions of the Guardiola–Mourinho rivalry, Abidal’s courageous battle and comeback from cancer to lift the European Cup, and how Lionel Messi, arguably the finest footballer of all time, was nearly rejected by Barça as a 13-year-old.