Soccer is a widely played and loved game today. It has a long history of its origin before it evolved to the modern football it is today.
Pre-Historic Football
Soccer dates back to 3000 years ago in the old Mesoamerican culture and was a game involving a ball made out of a rock, symbolising the sun. There were teams, though no kicking was involved, and the captain of the losing side was sacrificed to the gods.
In China, 2000 years ago, a ball game was played, and kicking was introduced. Also, ancient Rome, Greece, and parts of Central America started playing a ball game at the same time as China. It later began to be practised in Japan but ceremonially.
Evolution to Modern Soccer
It is in England where football transitioned during the middle of the 19th century. Initially, soccer was a very rough and violent game, played in a large open area with many spectators, and it involved punching the ball with a fist. Later, England implemented the first-ever rules of soccer. It forbid touching the ball with hands and tripping opponents; rules which still apply in modern soccer games.
The sport continued to evolve, and more rules were set. In 1891, a penalty kick was introduced. On 21 May 1904, The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) was founded, and in 1913, became a member of the International Football Association Board of Great Britain. In 1930, the first World Cup final was played in Uruguay. As years progressed, rules continued to be refined; for example, in 1998, red-card penalties were set for tackles from behind.
Soccer has evolved a lot, and today, it is the most popular sport in the world. The world as a whole competes every four years in the World Cup. The current holders are France who beat Croatia in a thrilling six-goal match which ended 4 – 2.