The European Football Yearbook has been my labour of love for the past 30 years. And
now, sadly, it is no more, the 2017/18 edition being the last of its kind.
It seems a very long time ago that the first edition – featuring Euro ‘88-winning duo
Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten in that infamous orange ‘pyramid-effect’ kit on the
front cover – was launched , to some fanfare, by Facer Books at Wembley Stadium
before an Italia ‘90 World Cup qualifier against Sweden.
The history of the publication has been something of a rollercoaster ride, with three of its
editions, though compiled and completed, for one reason or another having never seen
the light of day.
The Yearbook has, however, been very favourably received, attracting a
devoted cult following of thousands from all over the world and being called everything
from ‘the Bible of European football’ to ‘an essential buy for all followers of the
European game’.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s – before the internet really got going –
it regularly used to top the best seller charts of Sportspages, that one-time citadel of the
sporting word whose rare treasures would always brighten up a visit to London.’s West
End.
I have a photograph from around that time that was published in the Sunday Times
magazine showing Sven Göran Eriksson, the then England manager, sitting at his office
desk with assistant Tord Grip. There was one book visible on his desk. It was the
European Football Yearbook.
After 13 years with Birmingham-based publisher Sports Projects, the book underwent a
two-year makeover during which it was obliged to change its name to the European Book
of Football, but its big break came in 2007 when UEFA generously decided to take the
publication under their wing. The original name was restored, official statistics from all
UEFA competitions were added, and it also became a lot more colourful.
Following the Yearbook’s 25th anniversary in 2013, another upgrade brought a return to
the original, larger format and full colour throughout. When the final edition
came out in August 2017, I believe the European Football Yearbook had never looked
better.
However, UEFA decided that 30 years was enough and withdrew their support,
bringing one of sport’s longest-running annual publications to an end.
If you would like to send a question or a message about the European Football
Yearbook, please email me here.