Soccer is a team sport where each individual player gets a chance to shine. As phenomena go, it's hard to miss. In just a few decades, it's managed to win the hearts of millions of fans worldwide. Today, its name is synonymous with loads of money. But where, exactly, do things stand for its players? How have stars from Bobby Charlton, Diego Maradona, and Michel Platini, to Zinedine Zidane, the kingly Pelé, or even Ruud Gullit managed to revolutionize the game? How have they leveraged their public image to serve their political ends?