Simon Kuper World Cup Fever A footballing journey in nine tournaments 352pp. Profile. £20. Jonathan Wilson The Power and the Glory A new history of the World Cup 608pp. Abacus. £25. In 1994, a column

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After the FA lifted their ban on women playing at Football League grounds, England’s Lionesses played their first international in 1972 – two years later, Liz Deighan won her first cap against France

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Peter Dench considers...