| If you want to understand the history of soccer, | | | | We usually think of the medieval era as a time when |
| you have to admit that for some reason, humans | | | | war was viewed as a necessity and a "job" rather |
| have a natural urge to kick things. Whether it's to | | | | than a calamity. Despite being quite a serious, "dark" |
| release frustration, or simply for fun, we do this even | | | | period of time, somehow the medieval people |
| without noticing. | | | | managed to take some time for some sports, |
| How many times have you not walked on the street | | | | including soccer. |
| as a kid (and not only), simply kicking that pebble or | | | | The forms of soccer played during this time were |
| cone on the ground in front of you out of boredom. | | | | obviously incomparable to our current definition of |
| It's this natural urge that stands at the basis of the | | | | the sport; hence they are usually classified as "mob |
| history of soccer. | | | | soccer". |
| - When was soccer invented? | | | | While their dads were off at war, children would |
| When speaking about the history of soccer a lot of | | | | often grab a patched up leather ball, hit the nearby |
| people regard England as the place that soccer was | | | | field and start a "war" on the field. The lack of rules |
| born and although this could be a true statement in a | | | | often lead to fights and serious injuries and the sport |
| particular context, the truth is that the English were | | | | was regarded as dangerous in many locations. |
| the first to organize soccer around 1863, however | | | | A clear example of this can be found in the London |
| they did not "invent" it per say. So if 1863 is the year | | | | British Museum, where an engraving shows a group |
| the sport got "baptized", then what year was soccer | | | | of men struggling to win a leather ball, with a second |
| invented and where? | | | | image showing a man with a broken arm. You do the |
| Since soccer or soccer-likesports can be traced way | | | | math. |
| back to ancient times, it's difficult to pin-point a | | | | - Modern-day soccer |
| specific year, but historians of the phenomenon | | | | As mentioned above, although we don't know when |
| usually chop it down into 3 periods of time. | | | | soccer was invented, we do know when it was |
| - History of soccer during ancient times | | | | organized as a sport under a clear set of rules. Being |
| They might not have had our modern commodities, | | | | a popular practice in England, soccer was played |
| but ancient people sure knew how to have their fun. | | | | chaotically and oftentimes it would lead to the same |
| And, you guessed, kicking a "ball" around (obviously, | | | | on and off-pitch battles similar to the ones occurring |
| the balls were extremely rudimentary compared to | | | | during medieval soccer matches. On each match, the |
| what is used today) was considered a fun activity in | | | | two teams would agree on a particular set of rules, |
| many areas all around the globe, most of them | | | | but with the lack of a referee arguments would |
| developing at the same time, without interaction | | | | often spark up. |
| from one another. | | | | In order to keep things in order, a few English clubs |
| In history of soccer the first written statement | | | | met in London on October 26, 1863 in order to |
| regarding the start of soccer comes from a Chinese | | | | create a set of well-defined and universal rules for |
| military manual at around 300 BC, which describes a | | | | the game. |
| practice called "cuju" that involved the players kicking | | | | The Football Association was born and although their |
| a leather ball through a hole in a silk cloth stretched | | | | set of rules did not apply to all clubs immediately, in a |
| between two poles. On the other side of the globe, | | | | few decades, as soccer clubs switched from |
| in the Americas, the Aztecs were playing a similar | | | | amateurism to professionalism, their laws and conduct |
| sport, although some compare it to basketball more | | | | restrictions became standard for everyone. |
| than soccer. | | | | As you can see, there's really no "right" way to |
| The purpose of the game was to kick the ball | | | | answer the "When was soccer invented?" question |
| through a small stone circle that was placed high up | | | | and you'll have your fair share of arguments at hand |
| on the arena's walls, hence the relation to basketball. | | | | regardless of what period you believe was the spark |
| Now I don't know about you, but to me it sounds a | | | | that caused the wildfire that soccer is today. |
| lot more difficult to place a small leather ball exactly in | | | | And you'll probably agree with me on this: it's not |
| the middle of a stone circle that's well high above | | | | really that important to know when soccer was |
| your head with your foot, than striking a modern | | | | invented, but rather acknowledge that we are lucky |
| "high-tech" ball in an 8 yard goal. | | | | to be able to enjoy this wonderful sport at its best, |
| - History of soccer during the Middle Ages | | | | as we can in modern times. |