How and When Was Soccer Invented? (Must-Read!)

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Soccer is the most passionate game on the planet. I still remember the overwhelming joy I felt when my beloved Barcelona overcame PSG 6-1 in the Champions League second leg in 2017 at the last minute.

According to the World Atlas, soccer is the most popular sport, with a 3.5 billion audience with a widespread passion for soccer. How did it all begin?

Captain in charge of the Services Amenities Store in Singapore sorts out pairs of football boots with one of his member of staff.
Captain in charge of the Services Amenities Store in Singapore sorts out pairs of football boots with one of his staff members.

How was soccer invented?

Modern soccer was invented in England around the 1860s when rugby was detached from soccer. However, the earliest forms of soccer are recorded in the second century B.C. in China during the Han Dynasty, where an ancient form of soccer, Tsu Chu was played.

This was adapted by the Japanese Kemari five centuries later.

Soccer is almost as old as human civilization, surviving and evolving through the ages and eras. Many schools of thought clash with how soccer was invented.

We’ll be exploring the exciting transformation of soccer from the Far East to when it became merged and modernized in England before it would later spread through Europe and the world.

Vintage soccer cleat. ○ Soccer Blade

When Was Soccer Invented?

The earliest proven history of soccer was in China around 255–206 B.C. in the era of the Han Dynasty. Soccer was a military ball game called Tsu Chu. The word Tsu Chu means kicking the ball. 

In this game, they stuffed a leather ball with hair and feather. The players would have to show tremendous skill in controlling the ball with their legs, with the use of hands prohibited.

China
The Great Wall of China

This game, however primitive, was as exciting as it was daring–as the game didn’t have the modern protective laws of today’s soccer.   

The First Soccer Ball

The ball in this Tsu Chu early variant of soccer was about 35 cm wide. The game centered on players playing the ball into a net made from extended bamboo canes.

Players could also maneuver the ball with their shoulders, back, and chests.

The net was one of the most prominent differences between modern soccer and Tsu Chu. In Tsu’ Chu, they elevated the net about 30 feet from the ground.  

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Some five centuries later, Tsu Chu penetrated the Japanese sporting culture with soccer called the Japanese Kemari becoming prevalent.

While still being observed today, players in the Japanese Kemari form a ring and pass the ball among them without the ball dropping to the ground.

Doing this in a confined space, as in the Japanese Kemari, required exquisite skill and ball control.

Trogir landmarks and soccer field view Dalmatia Croatia. ○ Soccer Blade

Ancient Greek Soccer

While these ancient histories of soccer are the documented precursors of today’s soccer, there are yet stories of soccer being played in 2500 B.C. in Greece in the form of the Greek Episkyros.

For this intriguing game, players moved the ball over the boundary marks of their opponents. They achieved this with substantial dribbling, perseverance, and speed.

vwpowhczpue ○ Soccer Blade
Apollon Temple – Greece

Other reports of soccer being played in ancient Mesoamerica about 3200 B.C. Here, the ball was symbolic of the sun. and the team captain who loses the game would be sacrificed to the gods!

The English and European Soccer Beginnings

As we know it today, Soccer persevered through the medieval era and shot to prominence in England in the early nineteenth century.

Before now, in the ninth century, soccer had already menacingly manifested in England. Here, a pig’s bladder was played across locations.

This game, which was more nuisance than entertainment, was prohibited in some areas of old Britain.

Soccer was reinvented in the 19th century in England. By this time, soccer was still a mash of rugby procedures and typical soccer procedures. Players could still handle the ball and grapple.

old soccer ball The legs of a man standing with a soccer ball on a dirt old, vintage tone.
Soccer played bare-foot

While high tackles were penalized, and the goalkeepers were already in place at both ends, the post had no bars.

This form of soccer was played in British public schools. There was no defined ball size, the soccer match’s duration, and no limit on the number of players each team could feature.

Elton and Rugby were the schools leading the soccer evolution in Britain through the 1800s.

The Early Mix of Soccer & Rugby

While at Rugby, players could maneuver the ball with their hands and their feet, the games at Elton rules were to move the ball with feet alone, involving technique with the leg.

While they referred to the game at Elton as ‘the dribbling game’, the games at Rugby were called ‘the running game’. Therefore the Elton variant was the closest relative of modern football.

Rugby
Rugby Scrum

This mix between rugby and soccer continued until a revolutionary meeting in Cambridge in 1848 to stipulate the game’s laws.

Deliberations would continue until 1863, when the first Football Association formed on October 26, 1863.

Rugby Transitioned To Soccer

The FA restricted the carrying of the ball with hands in open play, while tripping and shin-kicking were also outlawed from soccer. The size of the ball was decided as well as the weight.

The Blackheath club preferred to retain the physicality (or violence) inherent in rugby; hence they left, and eleven clubs agreed to remain with the football association and formally abide by the newly formed gameplay rules.

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The resultant effect was the formal separation between soccer and rugby as we have them today. 

The view from the Kop Stand at Notts Countys ground in the match between Histon in the enFA Cup. Jazza5 1721 12 November 2007 UTC Wikimedia
The view from the Kop Stand at Notts County’s ground in the match between Histon in the FA Cup. 12 November 2007 UTC Wikimedia.

The First Soccer Clubs

While soccer has been famous in England since the fifteenth century, it lacked the organization and formality we see in the game today. Small communities and teams of players existed.

These teams had no official status, so that they couldn’t be official clubs.

Vintage football ball
Old Soccer Ball

Formal soccer clubs began in Edinburgh far back in 1824. Before now, they played soccer between school teams.

The oldest soccer club today is Notts County, which formed in 1862, in Nottingham, England.  

The industrial revolution of the mid-18th century in Europe, which was rampant in England, contributed to improved logistics for soccer as multitudes could move across (with emerging comprehensive networks of railways) to watch matches.

Bigger stadiums were built, and publicity was on the upsurge for soccer. 

The First Professional Players

This enhanced the commercial nature of soccer, with tickets now being sold to games and clubs paying soccer players to become professional athletes.

The first professional football league season had twelve participating clubs. The number shot up quickly, and by 1871, many professional clubs in England were contesting for the Football Association Challenge Cup (otherwise known as the F.A. Cup).

Early Soccer Attendances

By 1872, soccer had gone internationally, with an audience of 4,000 spectators pooling up at the Hamilton Crescent to watch the epic match between England and Scotland.

The match ended with a goalless draw. The F.A. Cup final in 1894, between Bolton Wanderers and Notts County, had an unprecedented 37,000 spectators in attendance. Notts County triumphed by a 4-1 scoreline.

One of the oldest filmed soccer clips from 1901;

Newcastle United v Liverpool (1901)

Soccer Growth

The following year they played a soccer match between two national teams for the first time.

The game that involved England and Scotland ended 0-0 and was watched by 4,000 people at Hamilton Crescent (the picture shows illustrations from this occasion). 

By 1883, with the increasing acclaim of soccer, it hosted the first international competition ever in soccer history.

Four nations participated, including England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland.

Worldwide Soccer

By now, soccer wasn’t just a European phenomenon anymore; as far as South America and Asia, soccer was fast becoming the favorite sport. In 1867, football was thriving in Argentina already.

With the expanding audience of football and the swell in the stakeholders, it became mandatory for a more robust regulatory framework to be in place to guide and speed up the global growth of soccer.

The San Siro stadium during an AC Milan soccer game
The San Siro stadium during an AC Milan soccer game in Italy

The Formation of FIFA

Therefore, on May 21, 1904, The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) was formed. Signatories came from the Netherlands, Sweden, France, Denmark, Switzerland, Belgium, and Spain.

They played the first FIFA world cup in 1930. 

Britain was formally inducted into FIFA in 1905 but would take till 1950 before they were represented in a World Cup. By 1908, soccer was among the official games of the Olympic Games. 

fifa soccer ball standards ○ Soccer Blade
FIFA Logos

My love for soccer by now was already overwhelming. In India and South America, there was an admirable adoption of soccer. Massive investments were now being poured into this epic sport.

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Stadium constructions saw ambitious and trailblazing designs executed. Soccer had grown to a height at the legendary Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro hosted about 200,000 spectators in the 1950 World Cup.

Where is Soccer Today?

Today, the passion for the game is mind-blowing, with soccer becoming super lucrative. One in every two people is a soccer fan. Over 3.5 billion people watched the last year’s World Cup in Russia.

soccer stadium
Volksparkstadion stadium in Hamburg Germany

There is even increasing adoption of female soccer. In the United States alone, about 16 million viewers tuned in on TV to watch the US soccer team beat the Netherlands in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup final.  

The Richest Soccer Clubs

The richest soccer club today is Real Madrid, worth $4.09 billion. This is closely followed by Barcelona, which is worth $4.06 billion. 

Professional soccer players are among the highest-paid athletes today.

Cristiano Ronaldo, as of his 2019 rating, has a net worth of $450 million, while Lionel Messi has a net worth of $400 million.


Who Called The Game Soccer Or Football?

Americans and Canadians call the game soccer because they have a sport called football.

When Was The MLS Created?

Major League Soccer was created in 1995, and the first league game was in 1996.

When Was The EPL Created?

The English Premier League was created in 1992; before this, it was called the First Division.

Soccer Analyst and Publisher at Soccer Blade | Soccer Blade | + posts

Joel is a seasoned soccer journalist and analyst with many years of experience in the field. Joel specializes in game analysis, player profiles, transfer news, and has a keen eye for the tactical nuances of the game. He played at various levels in the game and coached teams - he is happy to share his insight with you.

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Soccer Lifestyle FAQ

How Much Do Soccer Referees Get Paid?

The salary for a referee ranges from $27 to $50 per youth game. The MLS pays $900 per game and the highest-paid referees are in Spain, they get $6,354 per game!

How much does a stadium cost?

Professional soccer stadiums can cost from 250$ upwards to 1.5 billion dollars. With capacities from 25,000 to 60,000 as an average.

How To Avoid Stomach Cramps While Playing Soccer

Avoiding nasty stomach cramps while playing soccer can be achieved by proper hydration methods, ensuring that your body has all the correct minerals, and properly stretching before the game.

How much do players get paid in the MLS?

The highest-paid player is Carlos Vela, who earns $6.3 million per year playing for Los Angeles FC.
However, the average base salary for a senior roster, a non-designated player in the league is $398,725. While this is a lot of money, it is significantly less than Vela’s whopper wage.

What are the most common scores in the English Premier League?

The most common score in the Premier League is a 1-0 home win, followed by a 2-0 home win, and finally a 2-1 home win. The away victories follow, with 2-1 victories being more prevalent than 1-0 victories.


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