This month’s Author Spotlight is author Angela Cervantes! Angela joins us to discuss The Mystery of the Stolen World Cup Trophy, her new humorous and heartwarming middle grade novel, which follows 12-year-old Sleuth Diez as he investigates a high-stakes case and tracks down the tournament’s stolen trophy in time for the championship match. Be sure to check out the Spanish edition of The Mystery of the Stolen World Cup Trophy!
What inspired you to write The Mystery of the Stolen World Cup Trophy?
Angela Cervantes: As you may already know, the FIFA World Cup’s final tournament game is the most-watched sporting event in the world, and this summer, starting on June 11th, North America will host the games. This is thrilling for soccer fans like me, but also, I thought it’d make an exciting setting for a mystery novel. So, I started researching legendary soccer stories and the World Cup tournament. I was hunting for a real mystery, and I found it! It was hiding in plain sight: the iconic and valuable trophy!
Turns out that the first World Cup trophy has a juicy past. The original one, known as the Jules Rimet, was stolen twice. The first time was 1966, when it was on display in London. The thieves demanded a ransom, but FIFA refused to pay it. Luckily, a sweet pup named Pickles discovered it on his morning walk. Such a good boy! Fast forward to 1983, the Jules Rimet trophy was on display in Rio de Janeiro and was taken in the night and never seen again.
Inspired by the trophy’s past, The Mystery of the Stolen World Cup Trophy tells the story of my young sleuth, Diez Espada, who is named after the jersey number of Lionel Messi. Diez is unexpectedly invited to a glitzy World Cup party in Miami, where the famous FIFA trophy is taken. Diez is thrust into the most thrilling match of his life, where he must combine his soccer knowledge and passion for solving mysteries to find the trophy.
What message do you hope young readers take away from Diez’s experience?
Angela: I think there are many messages that young readers could take away from Diez’s story. For example, maybe they will discover a new love for soccer, secret tunnels, or an appreciation for talking birds…but I hope young readers take away a love for mystery books and want to read more. For me, that would be a golazo.
Do you have a favorite scene from The Mystery of the Stolen World Cup Trophy?
Angela: So many favorites! For starters, I enjoyed writing the scene when Diez is suited up as a lobster at his school soccer match to catch a thief. I also love the scene where he first meets the legendary detective Enzo after the trophy has been stolen, and he’s called out by the detective for stuffing a feather up his shirt. That whole scene sort of sets the tone for the story and raises the stakes for Diez. He wants to prove to his dad, his frenemy Rio, and even Detective Enzo that he has the chops to be a detective and save the day, but everyone wants to keep him on the bench. Of course, Diez jumps into the action whether they want him there or not.
What kind of research did you do into the history of the FIFA World Cup or past incidents of soccer-related theft to make the mystery feel authentic?
Angela: Lucky for me, I found a lot of articles and information about the 1966 trophy heist because Pickles the dog became famous, and so the story was well documented. But information about the 1983 theft in Rio was much harder to find. I ended up relying on a few articles and my Brazilian friends to share their perspectives, and what they told me changed how I approached the story. What I hadn’t fully considered was the shame the Brazilian people felt when the trophy went missing. Fútbol is practically a religion in Brazil. Their national team had won the World Cup three times by 1970, which is why FIFA gave them the trophy permanently. That’s an extraordinary source of national pride. And then it’s stolen while in their care. My friends expressed real embarrassment about it, even though it happened decades ago. Once I understood that, I knew I had to treat that history with more sympathy and sensitivity in my book.
What was the most challenging part of plotting a mystery novel? Were there any famous mystery novels that you took inspiration from?
Angela: I took a lot of inspiration from Agatha Christie’s books. She and I share the same initials, by the way (AC)! I’ve always admired her storytelling and how she builds tension and gives the readers lots of shady suspects. Creating suspects was so much fun for this novel. Some of the suspects in this novel include a failing crypto businessman, twin prankster brothers, a retired player turned sportscaster, a professional soccer player, a Spanish soap opera actress, and even a talking bird that seems to be hiding something. The most challenging part of plotting a mystery novel is planting the clues in plain sight. I didn’t want to give too much away too fast.
Tell us about a librarian or educator who made an impact on you.
Angela: My mom. She was a fifth-grade teacher for 28 years and always encouraged me and my siblings to read. She would take us to the public library often, which is where I would pass hours reading and looking up at all the bookshelves, dreaming about the day my books would be up there. Besides my mom, I was blessed to have many teachers who encouraged me, including my fifth-grade teacher, Sister Judy; my seventh-grade teacher, Mrs. Wendy; a high school journalism teacher named Mrs. Koehler, and Mr. Rose.
What was your favorite book when you were a young reader?
Angela: I’ve read Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White a hundred times. It remains one of my all-time favorite books.
What advice would you give to aspiring young writers?
Angela: Read as much as you can. Reading and writing go hand in hand. Reading is breathing in. Writing is breathing out. But I also encourage young writers to live life and stay open to new people and places. You can’t write about people and their hearts and their lives with any truth if you don’t understand what makes us human and what motivates each of us.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Angela Cervantes is the award-winning author of several beloved children’s novels including Lety Out Loud, which won a Pura Belpré Honor Award. Angela’s other children’s novels include Anomalies 53: Into the Shadows; The Cursed Moon; Maritza: Lead With Your Heart, an American Girl book; Gaby, Lost and Found; Allie, First at Last; and the Frida Kahlo-inspired mystery, Me, Frida and the Secret of the Peacock Ring. In addition to her original work, Angela adapted Coco: The Junior Novelization and Encanto: The Junior Novelization. Angela began writing stories featuring Latina main characters when she was nine years old because she wanted books that reflected her friends and her community.
ABOUT THE BOOK
The Mystery of the Stolen World Cup Trophy by Angela Cervantes
Ages 8-12
From Pura Belpré Honor recipient Angela Cervantes and perfectly timed for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, The Mystery of the Stolen World Cup Trophy follows 12-year-old sleuth Diez Espada on a high-stakes case as he tracks down the tournament’s stolen trophy in time for the championship match.
Diez Espada—named after the jersey number of his soccer-obsessed father’s favorite player, Lionel Messi—would rather be chasing clues than soccer balls. When the World Cup trophy disappears at a glitzy party in Miami, he’s suddenly at the center of the most thrilling match of his life—a race to find the trophy before it’s gone for good.
Teaming up with his crush, Rio, and the world-famous Detective Enzo, Diez dives headfirst into a one-night whirlwind of secret tunnels and a squad of suspicious suspects: a spoiled son of a Miami tycoon, a famous sportscaster, and even Rio’s two prankster younger brothers.
The clock is ticking, the suspects are slippery, and the stadium lights are ready to shine. Will Diez find the trophy in time for the World Cup championship match?
Praise for The Mystery of the Stolen World Cup Trophy
One starred review!
★ “Scores big on family, detective work, and the love of the game.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“Humor, heart, and fútbol… everything a middle grade mystery should be.” — Chris Grabenstein, New York Times-bestselling author of the Lemoncello series
“Mystery, friendship, and redemption, all wrapped up in one great detective story.” — Christina Wyman, bestselling author of Jawbreaker
“A fast-paced tale of fútbol stardom. Diez Espada is on the case!” — Adrianna Cuevas, Pura Belpré Honor-winning author of The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez
“Keeps readers guessing, cheering, and completely hooked until the final whistle blows!” — Ernesto Cisneros, Pura Belpré-winning author of Efrén Divided
“There’s a new kid detective in town!” — Celia C. Pérez, award-winning author of The First Rule of Punk
“A heartwarming sleuth story that had me laughing from the start!” — María José Fitzgerald, award-winning author of Turtles of the Midnight Moon
“Diez Espada’s detective skills would make the likes of Nancy Drew, Hercule Poirot, and Sherlock Holmes proud!” — Katryn Bury, author of the Drew Leclair series
“Cervantes scores an energetic, crowd-pleasing mystery.” — Publishers Weekly
“Poirot, Sherlock Holmes, and Scooby-Doo, step aside for the next detective in the making: Diez Espada.” — Booklist