Soccer History
Soccer is one of the most popular sports in Europe and the
Americas. It has a vivid and interesting history in the world of sports. Early
evidence of soccer being played as a sport finds occurrence in China during the
2nd and 3rd centuries BC. In China, it was during the Han dynasty that people
dribbled leather balls by kicking it into a small net. Recorded facts also
support the fact that Romans and Greeks used to play ball for fun and frolic.
Some facts point to Kyoto in Japan where kicking of ball was a popular sport.
It is said that early growth of the modern soccer started in England. Some amusing facts even mention that the first ball used was the head
of some Danish brigand. It is said that during medieval times, the old form of
soccer used to allow many ill practices like kicking, punching, biting and
gouging. The main aim was to carry the ball to a target spot. People grew so
fond of the game that they would throng the field all day long. Sometimes the
competition grew fierce and masses got so wild that there were frequent
incidents of violence during the game. It is also said that soldiers admired
the game so much that they missed archery practice to watch it. King Edward III banned soccer in 1365 owing to the growing
incidents of violence and military indulgence in the sport. In 1424 King James I
of Scotland also proclaimed in the Parliament— "Na man play at the Fute-ball"
(No man shall play football) When and where exactly did soccer start is a question that
has no precise answer to it. You can easily say that this popular game has been
played for more than three thousand years. The nativity of modern-day soccer
must be credited to Britain. It was also known as the association football, with
Scotland and England being the co-founders of the systematic game of soccer.
Modern History of Soccer: 18th Century onwards
In 1815, a major development took place that made soccer
popular in Universities, Colleges and Schools. The popular English School and
Eton College came forth with a set of rules, known as the Cambridge Rules.
Football was segregated into two groups; some colleges and schools opted for
Rugby rules that allowed tripping, shin kicking and also carrying the ball.
These rules were exclusively prohibited as per the Cambridge rules.
The history of modern-day soccer was established in 1863. In
October 1863, eleven representatives from London clubs and schools met at the
Freemason’s Tavern to set up common fundamental rules to control the matches
amongst themselves. The outcome of this meeting was the formation of the
Football Association. In December 1863, the Rugby Football and Association
football finally split as the supporters of the Rugby School rules walked
out. Firmly establishing the foundation of soccer in 1869, the
Football Association strictly banned any kind of handling of the ball. Soccer’s
popularity spread rapidly during the 1800s as British sailors, traders and
soldiers introduced the sport to different parts of the globe. Italians, Austrians and Germans drew to Europe, while
Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil adopted the sport in South America. FIFA was
established in the year 1904 and by early 1930s, different leagues were
operating from various countries. FIFA is credited with organizing the first
world cup in Uruguay. The history of soccer is rich with events, development and
its growing craze all over the world. You will find yourself amazed as you learn
about different times of this wonderful sport that has held our awe and
admiration for over 3000 years.