History of Soccer

Exactly when and how the history of soccer began not known, although it is believed the Chinese were playing “football” as far back as 3,000 years ago. To get ready for battle, the ancient Greeks and Romans played a game called Tlatchi, from which the game of soccer may have been developed.

Many predecessors of soccer may have existed, but the history of soccer as we know it (or football to the rest of the world) began in England. However, soccer than was not as we know it now. It was a very violent game with few rules. But, the people loved it so and the history of soccer was threatened when King Edward III banned it in 1369, fearing it was taking away time from military training.

By the late 1800s, the history of soccer advanced as schools and universities began playing. The first rules of the game were set by the London Football Association in 1863, marking an important time in the history of soccer. It was around this time that international matches (between England and Scotland) were played for the first time. The game of soccer was spread to British colonies, such as South America and India, and its appeal was immediate.
The formation of the international governing body, Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), in 1904 began a new era in the history of soccer. In 1908, it became an Olympic event and in 1930, the first international tournament, the World Cup, was played. It is the World Cup that still determines the world champion today.
Soccer didn’t arrive in the United States until the middle of the Nineteenth century. It was recognized by the NCAA in 1959, but the sport really didn’t take off until the late Sixties when the North American Soccer League (NASL) was formed. The NASL revolutionized the sport of soccer in America. World class players from all over the world played on NASL teams and planted the love of soccer in the minds of the children that would grow up to be America’s superstars today.

Today, soccer is loved world round. Players can command huge salaries and fans turn out by the millions to watch them play.