Official author website
Max Goalman is the author of The Next Messi novel series and The Rise of the Soccer Stars, books for young soccer fans aged 8 to 12.
The Next Messi · Book 1
Soccer Books for Kids 8-12
Max has one dream: to become the greatest soccer player in the world. There is just one problem. He plays at the local park, and the academy scouts have never heard his name. Then one match changes everything.
The Next Messi · Book 2
European Challenge
Max conquered his local league. Now he is crossing the Atlantic to Lancaster Academy, where the training is brutal, the rivals are elite, and talent alone is not enough.
The Next Messi · Book 3
Trial and Error
Fourteen-year-old Max has just been handed the number ten at Lancaster Academy. It is the shirt he has wanted his whole life, and the one everybody watches.
True stories
Soccer Stories for Kids 8-12
Nine soccer superstars. Nine true stories of setbacks and comebacks. And a workbook where young readers plan their own success story.
German edition
Fußballbuch ab 8 (Kinderroman)
The German edition of The Next Messi, Book 1, for young readers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Max Goalman writes soccer books for kids who would rather be on the pitch than reading. The Next Messi follows a boy from a local park to an elite soccer academy, one match, one setback and one comeback at a time. The Rise of the Soccer Stars tells the true stories of nine players who were told they were too small, too slow or not good enough, and pairs them with a workbook so young readers can plan their own path.
The Next Messi is an original work of fiction. It is not a biography, and it is not affiliated with or endorsed by Lionel Messi or any club.
All books on this page are written by Max Goalman and © Max Goalman. Max Goalman is the pen name of an independent author, who holds all rights to these works.
For rights, permissions, press and reader mail: info@maxgoalman.com