| Soccer: The sport that binds the world | | | | a long and intricately branched ancestral |
| | | | tree. After the English Football Association, |
| Soccer is famous among the layman by the name | | | | the next oldest are the Scottish FA (1873), |
| of 'Football'. The term 'Soccer' has been | | | | the FA of Wales (1875) and the Irish FA |
| derived from the word 'assoc' that in turn | | | | (1880). Strictly speaking, at the time of the |
| originated from 'Association'. The game is | | | | first international match, England had no |
| basically about 'playing ball with the foot'. | | | | other partner association against which to |
| | | | play. The spread of soccer outside of Great |
| Today, football is played at a professional | | | | Britain, mainly due to the British influence |
| level all over the world, and millions of | | | | abroad, started slow, but it soon gathered |
| people regularly go to football stadium to | | | | momentum and spread rapidly to all parts of |
| follow their favourite team, whilst billions | | | | the world and today it is an undeniable truth |
| more watch the game on television. Since, | | | | that the game has die-hard fans all over the |
| soccer evokes great passions and plays an | | | | globe. |
| important role in the life of individual | | | | |
| fans, local communities, and even nations; it | | | | Scholars might have conflicting views on the |
| is therefore often claimed to be one of the | | | | origins of the game and the influences that |
| most popular sports in the world. The game | | | | certain cults may have had on its evolution, |
| of soccer, played between two teams of 11 | | | | but one thing is absolute truth: football has |
| players each, is by far the most popular | | | | flourished for over a thousand years in |
| sports in the world. The game is played with | | | | diverse rudimentary forms, in the very region |
| a ball on a rectangular grass field with a | | | | which we describe as its home, England and |
| goal at each end of the field. The object of | | | | the British Isles. |
| the game is to score by manoeuvring the ball | | | | |
| into the opposing goal. The team that scores | | | | Football is governed internationally by the |
| the most goals by the end of the match wins. | | | | International Federation of Association |
| A game is officiated by a referee, who has | | | | Football (FIFA). The most prestigious |
| "full authority to enforce the Laws of the | | | | international football competition is the |
| Game in connection with the match to which he | | | | World Cup, held every four years. More than |
| has been appointed" and whose decisions are | | | | 190 national teams compete in qualifying |
| final. The referee is assisted by two | | | | tournaments within the scope of continental |
| assistant referees. A standard adult football | | | | confederations for a place in the finals. |
| match consists of two periods of 45 minutes | | | | Since 1900, Summer Olympic Games also holds a |
| each, known as halves. There is usually a | | | | football tournamnet. After the World Cup, the |
| 15-minute "half-time" break between halves. | | | | most important football competitions are the |
| The end of the match is known as "full-time." | | | | continental championships, which are |
| The contemporary history of soccer dates | | | | organised by each continental confederation |
| back to more than 100 years. It all began in | | | | and contested between national teams. These |
| 1863 in England, when rugby football and | | | | are the European Championship (UEFA), the |
| association football branched off on their | | | | Copa América (CONMEBOL), African Cup of |
| different courses and the world's first | | | | Nations (CAF), the Asian Cup (AFC), the |
| football association was founded - The | | | | CONCACAF Gold Cup (CONCACAF) and the OFC |
| Football Association in England. Both forms | | | | Nations Cup (OFC). |
| of football have a common base and both have | | | | |