Going back to the basics: All about football, how everything started.

Football, as the name suggests, is played by foot as a player has to kick the ball in the opponents goal. It is a game which is not played between 2 teams or 22 players, but a game played between 2 countries and lakhs of supporters. The history of football goes way back to the 3rd century BC when it was played in Egypt, where a round ball like object was kicked in the opposite direction. When the Romans conquered Egypt, it became popular in Rome. Soon, Romans took it to England when they conquered the same. The game developed in England. That’ why the credit of the beginning of modern football goes to Europe.
The control of football matches and the administrative work is governed by Fédération Internationale de Football Association, commonly known as FIFA. FIFA has its head-quarters in Paris, France. It was established on May 4th 1904. The rules of the game were codified much beforeFIFA’sestablishment, in the year 1848 at Cambridge University. On 2nd November 1872, first international match was played between England and Scotland which went goalless. When football became popular the world over, FIFA started certain competitions at the world level, zonal level. Some of the examples regarding major competitions are the World Cup, which from an unpromising beginning has grown to become second only to the Olympics as a global sporting event. From a mere 1 countries participating in the first World Cup held in Uruguay in 1930 to 171 countries in the 16th world cup held in France in 1998. In off season, when the players used to be free and away from the national duty, many professional football clubs were formed thus giving rise to local league football. The oldest football club Sheffield United football club formed on 27th October 1855 in England.

Now days, football clubs like Manchester United, Arsenal, Barcelona, Inter Milan are household names. The league is one step below the various national associates. Each league has its own power and functioning. The league appoints referees, suspends players and functions in the same way as FIFA does at the world level. When football is played between 2 countries intense and passionate rivalry can be created between countries, some of them even going back 100 years like Argentina Vs Brazil, England Vs Scotland, Korea Vs Japan. These rivalries attract huge supporters and usually end with heightened emotions among players and spectators.
Presently football is played in all countries at all levels-be it professional football or for pleasure. Looking at it, it is more than just a game, it is like religion for many. Some of the lesser known countries are known by their football players playing with top football clubs in some of the best leagues in Europe. At world level or even at league level football attracts millions of supporters and generates billions of dollars. Stadiums are made to lakh plus spectators. Even clubs earn millions of dollars and offer players contract to play for them in the off season. The sponsors keep on bidding and renew old deals for more to get their name on the team’s jerseys at all level and for a global awareness as the matches are telecasted live all over the world. Football is a rich man as well as poor man’s game. This game has abolished colour, caste, creed and social barriers, thus making it the people’s game or “a beautiful game” as described by Pele.

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