England Standardized Modern Football/Soccer
The Claim
England invented the game of football/soccer.
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Emerging story
The recent European Cup tournament stirred up international attention with fans of the sport cheering on their favorite teams. England and Italy made it to the final round, with supporters of the former — including Prince William — repeating the phrase “It’s Coming Home” before the big match. This phrase alludes to England’s supposed invention of soccer, or as it is known outside of the U.S. and Canada, football. Italy ultimately won the Cup, but debate continued on who actually invented the sport.
Misbar’s Analysis
At its most basic conceptual level, the game of football has existed in countless cultures and societies for millennia. From the ancient Greeks, to the Aztecs, to the Chinese, to the Aboriginal Australians, games involving the kicking of a ball are almost ubiquitous to civilization itself. The rules and customs of these games varied wildly, and it was not until relatively recently that football became the game it is today.
Beginning in the 1840s, football emerged as a clearly defined sport for the upper class in England. However, it would still take decades for the laws of the game to be established and agreed upon. In 1848, students from Cambridge University collectively wrote the first formal rules of football, which restricted players from picking up the ball or pushing opponents amongst other regulations. By 1863, more rules had become standard, and the game would continue to evolve for decades afterward.
As the working classes of England developed socially and economically during this period, the sport evolved from a “Christian gentleman’s game” to a pastime that everyone could enjoy. Within a few years of the formal establishment of rules, football clubs sprouted up all over the country. But the growth of the game did not stop there; new technologies like photography and the radio helped spread the renown of football’s first stars, and the growth of Britain's railways allowed players and fans to travel for games.
It did not take long for football’s popularity to spread outside of England. This era also happened to coincide with the period when Great Britain was at the height of its power — generally known as the Pax Britannica. As the largest, wealthiest, and most influential empire in the world at the time, the British were able to popularize football throughout their worldwide territories. By the early twentieth century, football had also spread to continental Europe, leading to the establishment of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), which remains the highest governing body of the sport.
Throughout the 1900s, football continued to grow and spread throughout virtually every country and continent. Today, football is the most popular sport in the world. For that feat, England can at least receive some credit.
