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How It All Began?

Great Britain is the cradle of football since it was the first country to establish a football association as the chief governing body that regulates all football activities. It all started more than 100 years ago, in 1863. English football spread to other areas as well, especially those that were under the influence of the Crown. Different football codes were employed by different countries, but Britain managed to shape the standardization rules which we know today.

The roots of football seize back to ancient history though when Romans and Greeks played various ball games that included the use of feet. In Asia, the first game that resembled football was actually a military exercise that involved playing with the ball not using your hands.

Also, the first days of football did not include any rules as to protect the body from injuries or getting hurt. It was only later that certain rules of what is not allowed were introduced. Football was classified under the mob category as there was no limitation on the number of players and everything was allowed except for killing someone which implies that kicking and hitting were a substantial part of the deal.

Britain Revolutionizes Football

Primitive football forms were known all over the world, and in Britain, it was a disorganized sports game that was played for ten centuries (from the 9th to the 19th) until it finally evolved into a more sophisticated form. Before 1863, football was more violent, with few rules, and it was a tough game resembling rugby.

In 1863, the size and weight of the ball were determined. The first agreement on the 90-minute duration of the game was determined in 1866 during a game between Sheffield and London. The 20th century saw the rise of different professional football leagues which are ranked from amateur leagues to top leagues of a country’s.

The English Premier League is the highest ranked league in England and only the best teams listed with the football association have the honor to compete in this league. It works on the basis of promotion and relegation of clubs, and 20 clubs are admitted to the league each season which lasts from August to May. Each team plays each team twice, and more than 300 games are played per season.

The Premier League is also internationally recognized and the most watched league in the world. It stands for prestige, credit, and represents the highest form of football worldwide. This is one of the reasons brands like EA Sports, Nike, Tag Heue and many more sponsor it and thus advertise in front of millions of visitors and spectarors. Clubs on the other hand partner with major online casinos (some of the UK casinos reviewed here) and millions of punds are invested in them. The Premier League was introduced in 1992, and since then, 47 clubs in total had the honor to compete in the League. Out of the 47, six proved to be the best as the trophy has been passed around among these six, season in and season out. These six teams count to the most popular British clubs, and they are Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Leicester City, and Blackburn Rovers. The latter two are not as strong as the first four, but they also won the title one time each.

As for the rest of Europe, each country has their own first division league, so we have the Bundesliga in Germany, Series A in Italy, and the La Liga in Spain. Germany’s most famous team is Bayern Munich, whereby in Italy, Milan is one of the ruling clubs. Spain is known for its everlasting rivalry between legendary Barcelona and Real Madrid. All of these teams take it up with each other on the court in the FIFA World Cup.

In the 1900s, football gained more recognition and football associations were formed all over the world. FIFA was established in 1904 in France consisting of football associations from several European countries, and with each year, new countries joined. In 1930, FIFA President Rimet made the decision to hold an international FIFA competition where all FIFA member clubs would compete against each other.

The first tournament summoned up 13 teams to fight for the title. After years of remodeling the FIFA Cup and introducing novelties, FIFA came to be the most significant sports competition in football where around 200 international teams participate in a 2-year-long qualification process. Out of the 200, the 32 best get the opportunity to compete for the FIFA Championship title. The FIFA Cup is the most watched sports competition with billions of viewers, topping even the Olympics.