Sport is as ancient as history itself. It has played a big role in keeping societies glued together, fit and healthy while boosting morale. In an era of technology, the importance of sports stands more vital than ever. Competitive physical exercise like indoor soccer not only befits kids and adults but also presents a session to instill crucial life values.
For many generations, sports history has been taken for granted. Perhaps, populations take sports for weekend refreshment but much lies within where these sports came from to what they are today. Sports mean a lot, from health and joy to educating society.
Different games have different origins. And as everything is prone to change, some games have changed with time. From their naming, rules, field marks, and even the scoring patterns. The soccer game has a rich history to embrace as countries converge to enjoy the world cup after every four years. But have you ever wondered between Football and Soccer, which of the two came first? Football or soccer which came first? It is a question that puzzles many.
There are many games recorded globally that involve the kicking of balls around the field. That said, the rules of Association Football, also known as soccer, are available and traceable back to the mid-19th century in England. After the many rules that existed were standardized, the republic schools of England could get to compete on a fair and level playing ground.
The History of Football As A Sport
The first identified forms of sports involving a ball, which was carved from a rock, happened in the old Mesoamerican society 3000 years ago. It was by the Tchatali, though there were other versions of the game across the regions. In some identified ritual events, the ball was a symbol of the sun, where the losing team’s captain was sacrificed to the gods. During that time, it was only the Mesoamerican culture that had the unique feature of the bouncing rubber ball. Other cultures didn’t have access to the rubber material.
The first ball game, which encompassed skills like kicking, took place in China during 3 and 2 BC. The games were named Cuju, and the players used a round ball made of stitched leather with fur or feathers inside and played on a square demarcated area. Later, a modified version of the game spread to Japan and was named Kemari, practiced under ceremonial events.
On the other hand, and probably older than Cuju, was Marn Gook, a ball game played by Aboriginal Australians. Following the white emigrants of the 1800s, this ball game involved kicking. More interestingly, the ball was crafted from encased leaves or even roots. The rules they used are unknown to date, but with many early versions of the soccer game, keeping the ball in the air was a chief observation.
Other ball games originated from Ancient Greece. The balls were made of leather shreds filled with pressure. During this era, ball games were considered low status and thus did not participate in the Panhellenic Games. As in ancient Rome, Ball games were not supposed to be part of the entertainment in the amphitheaters. These games only occurred in military exercises and were named harpastum. Later on, the roman culture introduced the spirit of Football to Britannica.
The Game of Football Gains a New Shape
Many theories are telling about Football. But the most admitted record is that the sport was developed in England during the 12th century. Here, the game involved ancient Greek kicks, and the players used punching and fists to propel the ball. The game took place in the meadows and streets of England. It was much more rough and chaotic than the modern sport we enjoy.
An outstanding characteristic found in many explanations of Football indicates that the game involved many players and took place in towns, streets, and villages. The rampage from these games would destroy property and sometimes cause the death of the players. These and others saw leaders send proclamations against the game that finally saw the sport suspended for centuries. Later on, the ball-like games would make a U-turn to the environments of London in the 17th century. Before long, the game would again be banned in 1835, but this time, it had found its way to public schools.
American Football vs. Soccer (Rugby)
It took a long time to have the current features of Football fully into practice. Before then, there lacked a clear distinction between Football and Soccer (or Rugby). Additionally, there were countless variations of ball games, the number of players, and the time for the matches.
There were two predominant schools where Football was played. They included Rugby and Eton. At Rugby, the rules governing the game included the will to pick up the ball, throw or kick. Here the name rugby was crafted. At Eton, the exceptions were minimal. Players could only play the ball with their feet, and to date, this kind of game has solely birthed modern Football. The sport of Rugby was duped as “the running game” while Eton was branded “the dribbling Game.”
A consultative meeting was held in 1848 at Cambridge University to harmonize or create proper game rules, but the members never reached a consensus. After that, and around 1863 in London, the first football association was established in England. The meeting resolved that carrying the ball with your hands was against the football rules. Moreover, the committee came up with the standard size and weight of the ball. Consequently, the London meeting lay that the game was divided into two entries or codes: the Association football and Rugby.
Which is older between the two?
Football or soccer which came first? Ever since the Americans started the sport where the ball rarely comes into contact with the feet “football” and gave the other a different name, ” soccer,” there has been a fierce debate. To avoid confusion, “football’ refers to “American Football .”American Football mainly involves handling the ball, while soccer game is the sport where the ball is played by feet.
Understanding Soccer
- Soccer is the older of the two games.
- Though there are no records of who invented it, its formal rules are adhered to today, and its framework is what was done in the 1800s. Since the establishment of the Football association England, the soccer game has ever since spread.
- The soccer game has found its presence in almost every state and enjoys a fan base of over 3 billion people globally. As the Football Association sets the rules, Americans refer to the sport as “Association Football,” short formed as “Soccer.”
- Players play the game with their feet and currently wear soccer cleats, outdoor or indoor Soccer. While playing, it’s only the goalkeeper allowed to block the ball with hands and within the D part of the pitch.
- A soccer game goes for 90 min of two halves.
American Football
- This is a football game that mixes Rugby and Soccer.
- A story is told of a boy who thought kicking the ball was tedious and time-consuming, so he chose to pick the ball and run with it to the goal. It indicates that Soccer birthed American Football.
- The game involves 11 players on each team divided into 4 quarters of 15 minutes.
- The football game is more physical; hence players require more protective gear such as gloves, knee guards, and soccer cleats.
- Points are scored in 3 methods; the touch down-6 points, a field goal- 3 points, and the safety- 2 points.
Conclusion
American Football games and Soccer have an enticing history, with one leading to another. What’s more enticing is that both games are fun to watch and play. American Football finds its anchor in North America. I.e., England, France, and their surroundings. On the other hand, Soccer is the most popular sport globally.