History of Soccer

The game of soccer has been played across civilizations and in many variations for thousands of years. The earliest official record of the sport describes a game played with a ball made from leather and filled with hair in the Far East at a match played between Japan and China in the Japanese capital of Kyoto in the year 611.

Later records show a version of soccer played by the Romans during the early Olympic games, though it is unclear how the game traveled from Asia to Europe.

The game was branded as vulgar, indecent, and a criminal activity in England with King Edward's proclamation (in the 1300's): "For as much as there is a great noise in the city caused by hustling over large balls, from which many evils may arise, we command and forbid on behalf of the King, on pain of imprisonment, such game to be used in the city future."

Outlawing soccer did nothing to curb its popularity, however, and the sport was eventually sanctioned in England in 1681. Eton College lays claim to the first known rules of the game - recorded in 1815. Eventually the standardized rules produce by Campbridge were adopted by most of England's colleges.

despite original attempts to ban soccer, England has now become the major exporter of this sport to countries and fans throughout the world. Soccer is officially the most popular spectator sport - world wide. The world Cup draws an audience of 33 million - greater than any Olympic turnout, and that of baseball, foot ball, and basketball combined.