RELATED SEARCHES
Sponsored Soccer History Results:
History Of Soccer
By:
Published: September 27, 2006
It is a widely known fact that soccer- known to most people as football- is the most popular sport in the world. Millions of people in countless countries are either players or fans of the game. Even though soccer has become a global phenomenon, the origins of the sport are uncertain.
Throughout history, people have been playing games where a ball of some kind is kicked into an opposing team's goal. Soccer-like games were played in such spearheading civilizations as Greece, China, Rome and Egypt. But the true history of soccer originates in England.
The history of soccer in England can be traced back to the Middle Ages. However, unlike soccer games of today, matches were often bloody, brutal and chaotic. There were no definite positions or number of players allowed on the field at one time. There were no stadiums with state-of-the-art amenities. There definitely were no restrictions as to the physicality of the game. People went stumbling through riot-like conditions to reach the sidelines and sometimes were trampled in the process. These games were so violent several kings threatened to ban the sport, abruptly concluding the history of soccer, if proper measures were not taken to ensure the safety of both the players and the spectators.
This chaotic free-for-all of passionate soccer enthusiasts became organized in the mid-19th century. In 1848, a group of Cambridge students came together to record some rules. These rules were the first attempt at giving uniformity to the game. In December 1963, the Football Association was formed to agree upon this uniform set of rules. Adding to the newly structured game was international appeal; English businessmen and traders brought soccer to neighboring countries as well as far-off lands like Brazil. When the English brought this handless sport to America, a name change was necessary since Americans already had a sport they called football. The sport was dubbed association football, which was later shortened to assoc. and simplified to soc. from whence the word soccer originated.
Back in Britain, the history of soccer's oldest competition, the English FA Cup, was underway. The competition ended after thirteen matches, but the soccer fever continued to rage. In 1888, the English Football League, consisting of 12 club teams, was formed. As the game grew in popularity, talk of an international soccer federation was rumored and, in 1904, blossomed into the Federation Internationale de Football Association, or FIFA. The main job of FIFA is to organize and regulate championship matches between teams of different nations. Today, nearly 200 countries are members of FIFA, making soccer the world's most popular game.
With the onset of FIFA, opportunities to achieve massive global involvement began. By 1908, soccer landed a spot in the Olympic Games. Then, in 1938, the history of soccer was altered when first World Cup tournament was conducted with players from thirteen countries filling the roster. Since the first tournament, the World Cup has been played every four years, except for a short hiatus during World War II.
The United States grew slower than the rest of the world in developing its own history of soccer. In 1914 the United States Soccer Federation was formed. By 1959, the National Collegiate Athletic Association developed college level soccer championships. With the growing spectatorship and interest in the sport, the history of soccer has become intensified with remarkable players, mind-boggling ball tricks and passionate fans.
Throughout history, people have been playing games where a ball of some kind is kicked into an opposing team's goal. Soccer-like games were played in such spearheading civilizations as Greece, China, Rome and Egypt. But the true history of soccer originates in England.
The history of soccer in England can be traced back to the Middle Ages. However, unlike soccer games of today, matches were often bloody, brutal and chaotic. There were no definite positions or number of players allowed on the field at one time. There were no stadiums with state-of-the-art amenities. There definitely were no restrictions as to the physicality of the game. People went stumbling through riot-like conditions to reach the sidelines and sometimes were trampled in the process. These games were so violent several kings threatened to ban the sport, abruptly concluding the history of soccer, if proper measures were not taken to ensure the safety of both the players and the spectators.
This chaotic free-for-all of passionate soccer enthusiasts became organized in the mid-19th century. In 1848, a group of Cambridge students came together to record some rules. These rules were the first attempt at giving uniformity to the game. In December 1963, the Football Association was formed to agree upon this uniform set of rules. Adding to the newly structured game was international appeal; English businessmen and traders brought soccer to neighboring countries as well as far-off lands like Brazil. When the English brought this handless sport to America, a name change was necessary since Americans already had a sport they called football. The sport was dubbed association football, which was later shortened to assoc. and simplified to soc. from whence the word soccer originated.
Back in Britain, the history of soccer's oldest competition, the English FA Cup, was underway. The competition ended after thirteen matches, but the soccer fever continued to rage. In 1888, the English Football League, consisting of 12 club teams, was formed. As the game grew in popularity, talk of an international soccer federation was rumored and, in 1904, blossomed into the Federation Internationale de Football Association, or FIFA. The main job of FIFA is to organize and regulate championship matches between teams of different nations. Today, nearly 200 countries are members of FIFA, making soccer the world's most popular game.
With the onset of FIFA, opportunities to achieve massive global involvement began. By 1908, soccer landed a spot in the Olympic Games. Then, in 1938, the history of soccer was altered when first World Cup tournament was conducted with players from thirteen countries filling the roster. Since the first tournament, the World Cup has been played every four years, except for a short hiatus during World War II.
The United States grew slower than the rest of the world in developing its own history of soccer. In 1914 the United States Soccer Federation was formed. By 1959, the National Collegiate Athletic Association developed college level soccer championships. With the growing spectatorship and interest in the sport, the history of soccer has become intensified with remarkable players, mind-boggling ball tricks and passionate fans.
Featured Soccer History Products:
