Comparing Soccer and Football

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Imagine being in a stadium crowded with fans, and cheering on your favorite sports team. People all over the world of all ages enjoy watching and attending sporting events. Although there are many different types of sports, football and soccer are both very popular. While attending one of these two sporting events, viewers will quickly notice the thousands of loyal fans. Soccer is popular internationally while football is highly enjoyed in the United States. These two sports are very different, but do contain some similarities. Soccer and football should be compared on their origin, rules, and strategies. Soccer is popular all over the world. Many countries actually call soccer “football”. The game of soccer was first played in China, but early Romans and Greeks also played this game. Although what they referred to as soccer was just kicking a ball around. Back then soccer was a very dangerous game that did not have any rules. The sport as one knows it today originated in England. The first rules of soccer were called the Cambridge rules and they were created in the early 1800s. Even though these rules were created, some schools were still using the rugby rules which included kicking, punching, biting, and gauging. In 1863 the rugby rules were no longer allowed and soccer became very closely related to what it is today. Football has also changed greatly over the years to become what the sport is today. This game was first played by early Greeks, and they called it harpaston. Harpaston was kind of a combination of rugby, soccer, and football. The teams would kick, run, or throw a ball across a goal line to score. The most closely related game of football to today’s football came from England. In the 1800s students began to play fo... ... middle of paper ... ...linebackers who stop running plays, rush the quarterback, and help stop passes. There are two types of defensive backs which include the cornerback and the safety. The cornerback is responsible for covering the wide receivers and tackling them if they do catch the ball. Lastly there are safeties that are responsible for helping cover the receivers and helping the line protect against a run. Although the offense and defense are not on the field at the same time, they ultimately work together for their team to win. Soccer and football have many similarities and differences in their origin, rules, and strategy. The player’s skills and determination truly make these sports exciting to watch. People all around the world of different ages and ethnicities enjoy watching these sports. To this day both soccer and football are both popular, and have been throughout history.

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