🌍 Where was football invented?

 

Modern association football—the game played with a round ball and 11 players per team, with goals and no hands (except goalkeepers)—was officially codified in England.

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🏛️ But wait... there’s more!

🕰️ Ancient roots:

• China – As early as the 2nd and 3rd centuries BCE, a game called Cuju involved kicking a leather ball through a goal. It’s recognized by FIFA as the earliest known form of football.

• Greece & Rome – Games like Episkyros and Harpastum involved teams, balls, and competition, though more physical and less like modern football.

• Indigenous cultures – Various ball-kicking games were played across Mesoamerica, Japan (Kemari), and even by Native American tribes.

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🏴 The Modern Game: England, 1863

In October 1863, the Football Association (FA) was formed in London, and the first official rules of football were written down. This moment marks the birth of modern football as we know it today.

So:

• ⚙️ Modern football = England

• 🌿 Early forms of football = China, Greece, Rome, Mesoamerica, and others

   

  Speaking Activity about Sports