{"id":1772,"date":"2021-09-01T13:16:42","date_gmt":"2021-09-01T13:16:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/soccerballworld.com\/?p=1772"},"modified":"2021-12-16T14:13:39","modified_gmt":"2021-12-16T14:13:39","slug":"when-was-soccer-invented-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/soccerballworld.com\/when-was-soccer-invented-2\/","title":{"rendered":"When was Soccer Invented?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A brief history:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>England is traditionally referred to as the \u2018Home of Football\u2019 or \u2018Soccer\u2019. The basic fundamentals and development of the game have however actually evolved over \u2018literally\u2019 thousands of years of history. In this article, I will take a look at when was soccer invented and some of the countries which are credited as contributors to the games invention and Soccer as we know it today. Before going on to look at how it modernized and then became a professional sport. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Countries credited with Soccer\u2019s invention:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>China (206B.C \u2013 220A.D)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the earliest and most influential examples of a game with similarities to modern day Soccer occurred during the period of the Han Dynasty which ruled from&nbsp;<strong>206 B.C. to 220 A.D.<\/strong> China played a game called <strong>Cuju<\/strong> or <strong>Tsu\u2019Chu,&nbsp;Tsu-Chu,<\/strong> the literal translation of which is \u2018kicking the ball\u2019. Some forms of Cuju were played for entertainment by the wealthy in cities like Linzi, whilst a competitive form of Cuju was used by the Chinese military as a form of fitness training. Such was its popularity it even spread from the army to the \u2018upper classes\u2019 and royal courts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In China the sport that most resembled Soccer occurred during the\u00a0Tang Dynasty\u00a0(618\u2013907) when the original feather-stuffed ball was replaced by an air-filled ball with a two-layered hull. Also, two different types of goal posts emerged. One was made by setting up posts with a net between them and the other consisted of just one goal post in the middle of the field. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Further resemblances to Soccer are that Cuju was played on a rectangular field by two teams, the use of hands were banned and each team would similarly try to kick the ball into a goal. Cuju was very popular in China for centuries and though its popularity eventually declined, there are still teams in China which try and keep the tradition alive today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A modern day video with an explanation of Cuju can be seen here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Man finds joy playing cuju, the parent of modern soccer\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/XUBWojS3kH4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Cuju influenced the development of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kemari#cite_note-3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Kemari<\/strong><\/a><strong> in Japan \u2013 <\/strong>and whilst this is really just a game of \u2018Keepie Uppie\u2019 or \u201cHacky Sack\u2019, it similarly to Cuju has stood the test of time and is kept alive today. George H W Bush even sportingly played a part in a game on one of his presidential visits to Japan!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Several other countries can also lay claim to contributing to and pre-dating modern day Soccer as we know it:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Greece<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Greece\u2019s claim to the origins of soccer revolves around the game <strong>Episkyros<\/strong>. However, to be honest if you look into the game further <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Episkyros\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>here<\/strong><\/a><strong>,<\/strong> it has more of a resemblance to modern day \u2018Rugby\u2019 than it does Soccer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Rome<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ancient Rome\u2019s claims to playing a part in the origination of Soccer stem from the game&nbsp;<strong>Harpastum<\/strong>. Little is known about Harpastum, though it appears to have developed from the Greek game of <strong>Episkyros<\/strong> and therefore again would have more of a resemblance to modern day \u2018Rugby\u2019.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is noteworthy however as due to the vast reaches of the Roman Empire at the time, the game would have largely spread around the world including into England, where modern-day soccer is was invented.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Central America<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Parts of central and northern South America can also lay claim to having an impact on modern day Soccer, for as far back as 1600 BC, a game the <strong>Mayans <\/strong>called&nbsp;<strong>Pok a Tok&nbsp;<\/strong>and the <strong>Aztecs<\/strong> called&nbsp;<strong>Tlachtli<\/strong>&nbsp;was played. Unlike some of the other sports we\u2019ve mentioned, this game wasn\u2019t played on a rectangular field but an I-shaped court.&nbsp;However, despite occurring almost 4000 years ago, the game did feature two teams who tried to get the ball into the opposition\u2019s end of the court while keeping the ball in the air and not using their hands!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Played for religious reasons rather than recreational (members of the losing team could even be sacrificed!), it is hard to make a case that it has any direct correlation with modern day \u2018Soccer\u2019 other than a \u201ckickball game\u201d was being played in Central America a long time before anywhere else in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Scotland<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Scottish claims to Soccer\u2019s origination date back to 1424 when King James I outlawed the game because he felt it was too disruptive. Its main claim however is based round the fact that\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/soccerballworld.com\/oldest-football-charles-goodyears-soccer-ball\/\"><strong>the oldest existing football in the world<\/strong><\/a> was discovered in the Royal Palace at Stirling Castle and dates from around 1540. Moreover, the world\u2019s earliest formed Soccer club \u2018The Foot-ball Club of Edinburgh\u2019 is also credited as being formed there in 1824.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The home of \u2018Football\u2019 &#8211; England: &nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To go into the origins of \u2018Football\u2019 in England is an article in itself so I will simply layout out the when, how and why it came into existence as we know it today. Known as \u2018Association Football\u2019 or \u2018Soccer\u2019 \u2013 \u2018Football\u2019 began in England with the laying down of rules by the Football Association (or FA) in 1863.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Indeed, whilst no single individual can realistically lay claim to being the &#8216;inventor&#8217; of football,&nbsp;<strong>Ebenezer Morley<\/strong>&nbsp;has been referred to as the &#8216;father&#8217; of the FA. The founder of Barnes Football Club, it was Morley\u2019s letter to the \u2018Bell&#8217;s Life\u2019&nbsp;newspaper&nbsp;that prompted a historic meeting which established the new \u2018official\u2019 rules of the game which were an amalgamation of \u2018unofficial rules\u2019 which were already in operation across England. The meeting took place on&nbsp;<strong>October 26<\/strong><strong><sup>th<\/sup><\/strong><strong>, 1863<\/strong>&nbsp;at the Freemasons&#8217; Tavern on Great Queen Street in London and involved representatives from 12 clubs. Thereafter, the game of football or soccer as we now know it was soon codified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nowadays, the game of football or soccer is presided over globally by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fifa.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FIFA<\/a>, which was established in 1904 with the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/International_Football_Association_Board\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IFAB<\/a> (International Football Association Board), founded in 1886. IFAB, the so-called &#8216;guardian&#8217; of the Laws of the Game, however is now also run by FIFA as are the four British associations (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>So who then can be said to have invented Soccer?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This is basically a question I think that can only be answered in a dual way:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Soccer\u2019s origination and development occurred over time: \u2018<strong>Cuju\u2019 <\/strong>in China and<strong> Linzi<\/strong>&nbsp; (where it was mostly played) in particular I think fairly credited in 2005 by FIFA President Sepp Blatter as the first real examples of the modern game and the birthplace of world football.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Conversely, the modern game is almost universally accepted as being invented in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Fun Fact:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite the fact England is known as the home of football\/soccer, there were actually frequent attempts by Monarchs to ban it throughout history \u2013 so it was lucky it ever came to pass! (Pun intended)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See: <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Attempts_to_ban_football_games#England\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Attempts to Ban Football in England<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1639663922100\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">When was soccer invented?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>One of the earliest and most influential examples of a game with similarities to modern day Soccer occurred during the period of the Han Dynasty which ruled from\u00a0<strong>206 B.C. to 220 A.D.<\/strong> China played a game called <strong>Cuju<\/strong> or <strong>Tsu\u2019Chu,\u00a0Tsu-Chu,<\/strong> the literal translation of which is \u2018kicking the ball\u2019<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A brief history:&nbsp; England is traditionally referred to as the \u2018Home of Football\u2019 or \u2018Soccer\u2019. The basic fundamentals and development of the game have however actually evolved over \u2018literally\u2019 thousands of years of history. In this article, I will take a look at when was soccer invented and some of the countries which are credited&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":1773,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1772","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-soccer"],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":1,"label":"Soccer"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/soccerballworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/when-was-soccer-invented-1024x544.jpg",1024,544,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Matthew Heys","author_link":"https:\/\/soccerballworld.com\/author\/matthewheys\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":1,"name":"Soccer","slug":"soccer","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":504,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":1,"category_count":504,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Soccer","category_nicename":"soccer","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/soccerballworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1772","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/soccerballworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/soccerballworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/soccerballworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/soccerballworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1772"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/soccerballworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1772\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2056,"href":"https:\/\/soccerballworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1772\/revisions\/2056"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/soccerballworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1773"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/soccerballworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1772"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/soccerballworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1772"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/soccerballworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1772"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}