| English Soccer History - Early Days | | | | despite having some world class soccer |
| | | | players throughout time and despite always |
| It's hard to determine exactly how soccer | | | | being favorites for the competitions they |
| became so popular in England in the 19th | | | | start in, the English national squad only |
| century, but the truth is that in the mid | | | | achieved few important milestones throughout |
| 19th century, almost every major town had a | | | | the entire soccer history in England. |
| semi-professional soccer team. These teams | | | | |
| were usually associations of workers from the | | | | The apogee of English soccer and the most |
| same factory or institution or simply | | | | important chapter ever to be written in the |
| students at a local University. | | | | entire history of soccer in England was |
| | | | definitely the successful World Cup run in |
| Matches between those teams were played | | | | 1966, a competition that was held on English |
| occasionally, with little to no prize, but | | | | ground, giving them the advantage to grasp |
| only for competition's sake. However, these | | | | their long-awaited trophy. |
| matches were played without any rules or a | | | | |
| referee and as soccer isn't necessarily a | | | | The 1966 team, captained by legendary Bobby |
| sport that's completely clean of violence, | | | | Moore and with other key components such as |
| all it took was a harsh tackle or an argument | | | | Jackie Charlton or Geoff Hurst playing |
| about a particular rule to start a bloody | | | | regularly, remains the best national squad in |
| fight between the two teams and their | | | | the entire English soccer history, especially |
| supporters. | | | | since their success has not been equaled ever |
| | | | since. |
| But the year 1863 marked an extremely | | | | |
| important chapter in English soccer history, | | | | English Soccer History - Modern Era |
| as several soccer clubs from all over the | | | | |
| country (prominently from London) met up in | | | | England is still a top team in Europe and |
| the English capital and set up a sort of | | | | throughout the World and has some players |
| "soccer constitution" called the Laws of the | | | | that are considered having world class |
| Game (a modified version of the original | | | | quality, but the national team still has |
| rules are still in effect today and are still | | | | moderate success, despite being star-studded. |
| called as such). | | | | |
| | | | Recently, the form of English clubs |
| That was also the birth certificate of the | | | | overshadowed the poor performance of the |
| Football Association, or simply FA that is | | | | national team, as Manchester United, Chelsea, |
| still ruling over English soccer nowadays and | | | | Liverpool or Arsenal continue to be heavy |
| had a tremendous importance throughout the | | | | contenders for each year's European |
| history of soccer in England and the way it | | | | Champion's League, the most prestigious club |
| evolved. | | | | competition in the World. |
| | | | |
| English Soccer History - Important Milestones | | | | Despite being happy with the respect English |
| | | | clubs impose in Europe, fans are still |
| With England being rightfully considered the | | | | yearning for that long awaited European or |
| inventors of modern soccer, one would expect | | | | World Cup which could mark a new important |
| them to be amongst the most successful | | | | chapter in the English soccer history. |
| national squads in the World. However, | | | | |