How old is soccer

The first version of modern soccer was officially invented in England in the mid 19th century and was called football. The way soccer has evolved into what it is today is also very fascinating. During the Han Dynasty from B. C to A. D a game called Tsu-Chu or Cuju was played as a military exercise. The game may have spread and been enjoyed by local citizens as well. FIFA has recognized the evidence that this is the first known form of Soccer. Cuju is also played in other countries such as Vietnam, Korea, and Japan and is the oldest known game to resemble modern day soccer.

There were various forms of the game, some meant to be played at noble birthdays and feasts, and another played by commoners. The ball used to play Cuju was commonly made of leather and filled with feathers.

Much heavier than a modern day soccer ball, and harder to kick long distances. The shoes they wore would typically have protrusions out the bottoms of them, much like modern day cleats. Modern day soccer was invented in 19th century England, mostly played by private school teams and soccer clubs. Typically, these teams would be members of the town competing to get the pigs bladder to their opponents area or goal, most often on either side of the town.

Records trace the history of soccer back more than 2, years ago to ancient China. The English are credited with recording the first uniform rules for the sport, including forbidding tripping opponents and touching the ball with hands. As the sport developed, more rules were implemented and more historical landmarks were set.

For example, the penalty kick was introduced in Red and yellow cards were introduced during the World Cup finals. Although its popularity eventually declined, there are still teams in China that play it and try to keep the tradition alive.

The Linzi Football[Soccer] Museum in Zibo, Shandong Province, China now exists as a testament to the links between the sports and the influence Cuju had on the invention of soccer. Episkyros involved two teams handling or kicking a ball. This game was heavily based on teamwork and defense. Good team organization and defensive structure were key to succeeding at Episkyros. Although this was a much more physical game than modern-day soccer, and the use of hands stands out as a difference, the teamwork and strategy involved would have an important impact on the development and invention of soccer.

The claims from Rome originate from the game Harpastum which was played in ancient Rome. Harpastum, which seems to have developed from the Greek game of Episkyros, was played with a small ball, similar in size to a softball, and was considered to be a fairly violent game. Due to the vast reaches of the Roman Empire at this time, this game would have been widely spread around much of the known world at the time, including into England, where modern-day soccer was invented.

Harpastum would have likely had a large influence on the development of soccer. Despite being almost years ago, there is a surprising amount of historical evidence for this game. Somewhere in the region of 1, courts have been discovered around Central America and even some of the rubber balls they would have used have been found almost perfectly preserved in bogs in the area.

And members of the losing team could even be sacrificed! The first mention of soccer in Scotland goes all the way back to when King James I outlawed the game because he felt it was too disruptive. Multiple Acts of Parliament were also passed in the years after this trying to ban the sport from being played. At this time, it was an incredibly violent game.

Scotlands claim to over the invention or origins of soccer is based around these facts but also around the fact that the oldest existing football in the world was discovered in the Royal Palace at Stirling Castle and dates from around As with Scotland, the first record of soccer in England was in a proclamation by the reigning monarch at the time.

King Henry IV issued a decree to ban soccer from being played. It seems that the British royal family in the middle ages were not fans of soccer! However, it was in England in the 19th century was when the modern game of soccer really began to take shape.

Another important difference at this stage could be noticed between English and Scottish teams. Whereas the English teams preferred to run forward with the ball in a more rugby fashion, the Scottish chose to pass the ball between their players.

It would be the Scottish approach that soon became predominant. The sport was at first an entertainment for the British working class. Unprecedented amounts of spectators, up to 30,, would see the big matches in the late 19th century.

The game would soon expand by British peoples who traveled to other parts of the world. Especially in South America and India would the interest in football become big. Football clubs have existed since the 15th century, but unorganized and without official status. It is therefore hard to decide which the first football club was.

Some historians suggest that it was the Foot-Ball Club formed in Edinburgh. Early clubs were often formed by former school students and the first of this kind was formed in Sheffield in The oldest among professional football clubs is the English club Notts County that was formed in and still exists today.

An important step for the emergence of teams was the industrialization that led to larger groups of people meeting at places such as factories, pubs and churches.

Football teams were established in the larger cities and the new railroads could bring them to other cities. In the beginning, football was dominated by public school teams, but later, teams consisting by workers would make up the majority. Another change was successively taking place when some clubs became willing to pay the best players to join their team.

This would be the start of a long period of transition, not without friction, in which the game would develop to a professional level. The motivation behind paying players was not only to win more matches. In the s the interest in the game has moved ahead to a level that tickets were sold to the matches. And finally, in professional football was legalized and three years later the Football League was established.

During the first season, 12 clubs joined the league, but soon more clubs became interested and the competition would consequently expand into more divisions. For a long time, the British teams would be dominant. After some decades, clubs from Prague, Budapest and Sienna would be the primarily contenders to the British dominance. As with many things in history, women were for a long time excluded from participating in games. It was not before the late 19th century that women started to play football.

The first official women's game took place in Inverness in Other milestones were now to follow.