The beautiful game ”Football” has a very complex and debated origin and it all started around as early as the 12th century. There are beliefs that the idea popped out when few men started kicking animal skull and passing it to each other. The skull was then replaced by a leather woven into a round shape with feathers and other light wastes filled into it.

But who gets the credit? England or is it China or Italy or … ??

As far as the place of origin is concerned, some sources reckon it to be China but the Chinese primitive sporting form (believed to be called “Tsu Chu”) is considered as not entirely reminiscent of the actual game style. Per most historians, the roots of Football’s foundations lie in England, and this is reinforced by the fact that England has documented proof of shaping the game into its modern and recognizable form by making modifications like forbidding the handling of the ball and the deliberate tripping of the opponent. They also introduced the uniform (jerseys) system and plenty of other rules.

From its early establishments, football took various forms including a clear separation from rugby where rugby started to be called as ‘the running football’ and actual football as ‘the dribbling football’. Overall, different countries played their roles in the development of the game into the form it is today.

Major contributors apart from England (where it was more like running forward with the ball in possession) were Scotland, where the game was played more like a team and players used to pass the ball to each other a lot while trying to move forward (this does give Scotland a lot of credit) and also Italy (Rome and Florence in particular) where football was and is still called as Calcio. In fact, Italians (specially the Romans) strongly expressed their dissent on England’s football origin credits. Greeks and Latin Americans also have their own claims about their role in the origins of football.

Keeping aside the debate of the origin, as decades and centuries passed, the game evolved to spread epidemically throughout the globe, especially in South America and Africa outside of Europe (where it was well established). Football was one of those sports during that time where the ”Blacks” were early adopters across the globe and were well accepted as it suited their supposedly strong physical built. It was, in fact, often termed at the time by people as ”the game of blacks and whites”.

Important years and landmarks (Saga of England’s influence):

As Football kept on settling down, the first proper football club was allegedly found in 1824 and the game’s proper rules were formed and documented in 1848 in England (Cambridge). More clubs were founded in England and the first football association for any country was also established in England in 1863- the ”Football Association (FA)” which has continued to control the game in the country ever since. The very first international football match took place between Scotland and England in 1872 in Glasgow, Scotland which ended up as a dull 0-0 draw.

Eventually, the first national football league was formed in 1888- The English Football League (yes, it’s England yet again). In 1904, modern day football’s governing body -FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) got established and in 1908, football was included in the Olympics (though female football couldn’t get into Olympics until 1996- shocking right?). Olympics continued to be the premier global competition in the game until FIFA organized its first ever Football World Cup in 1930.

As more and more world cups took place and the Football clubs grew older with generations of devoted and passionate fans, the intensity of the game began reaching unprecedented heights for any sport ever. After the World Wars were sorted out and the nations decided not to go back to any such destruction again, it was the FIFA world cup that some viewed as the closest of anything to represent world wars, such was the level of pride associated with big football matches. No doubt they call it “more than just a game”.

And this evolution has gotten graceful:

For decades now, the game’s global governing body “FIFA” has been carrying large scale humanitarian activities in places that need support; a lot of African countries for example. FIFA is using the power of this massive sport and its reach to work for the welfare of the society, examples are campaigns against AIDS, racism, child labor, unemployment etc. A lot of top footballers (especially those coming from poor countries or humble backgrounds) who are now earning humongous sums of money through football have also been actively donating and giving it back to their societies.

So, it’s fair to say that Football evolved from a random kicks to a round object to a global phenomenon changing lives. We can only sit back and adore this exemplary evolution and hope it continues this way of not being limited to the entertainment of the rich but also to the help of the poor.

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