Who Invented Football?

Every sport has a history. But none of them are as interesting as the history of football.

Football is a global phenomenon and is likely to become more and more popular as the internet and social media make it more accessible to watch matches and competitions in different parts of the globe.

So who invented football? It seems that football was invented in England, making its appearance in the 19th century. However, there are claims that the Scots invented the football we know today, but that the Chinese also played a key role in the birth of the game.

So let's investigate who invented football.

To see more clearly how football started, we divide the origins into two. First of all, the ancient times, 4,500 years ago (A), and then the modern period, the immediate predecessor of the football we love today (B).

A. The ancient origins of football

Historical artifacts and traditions clearly show that football was played in Egypt, ancient China, and Rome. The basic principles of the game have survived over the years and continued to be played in the medieval period.

The origins of football in ancient Egypt

Balls made of textile material dating back to 2500 BC have been discovered in Egyptian tombs. Some of these balls were also made from the intestines or skin of animals to improve jumping. Based on the drawings, theologians believe that the Egyptians played football during the fertility holidays to celebrate the abundance of the earth.

About 2,000 years later, another form of football appeared in China.

Football in Ancient China

Around 476 BC. Until 221 BC, a sport called cuju was popularly played in China. The name is roughly translated as "kicking the ball". To score a goal, players must place the ball in a piece of cloth hanging between two poles. The game has become so popular because it has been practiced by military leaders as a competitive sport to keep soldiers physically fit.

As the game became more popular, the royal courts began to organize cuju matches played by professional players. Teams of women and civilians also participated in the tournaments.

The origins of football in ancient Rome

Football in ancient Rome has no rules, strategies, or tactics. It was played by 54 players (27 on each team), whose only goal was to bring the ball to the opponent's goal. It became so popular that it was included in the early Olympics. Of course, many players were injured during the game.

Football in the Middle Ages

It can be said that in general, the English were the ones who kept the tradition of football alive in the Middle Ages. A very popular form of sport in the middle of the 14th century, England, is called mob football.

It was played by an unlimited number of players. At that time, there was still no one to set the rules.

Players were allowed to continue playing as long as their actions did not lead to reckless homicide. They played in the streets and turned the cities into huge fields.

Because anyone could join the game and because of the few rules, medieval football ended in riots. Street gambling has also caused problems for residents and traders. However, he has already become so popular that his game has not been stopped at all. By the end of the 14th century, the game had become deeply embedded in English culture.

B. The beginning of modern football

While the sport was widely played by young people across England, it was banned from schools because of its violence. The lack of rules governing the player's behavior has often led to injuries and chaos. This led nineteenth-century clubs to create rules that would ensure fair and fair play. These rules are the basis of the main rules of football that we follow now.

That's why nineteenth-century clubs felt the need to create rules. This is how the Football Association was formed. In the United States, the sport has become known as "soccer."