Soccer: The World's Sport

The amazing game of soccer is played in every continent, and is the world’s most popular sport. It is proven to be one of the number one sports to be played and watched. Because its fans and players are so devoted, the sport continues to grow. Requiring only a ball and open space, the activity is available to anyone, whether rich or poor, male or female, athletic or not. Over the years, soccer has won the hearts of many because of its unique history, many benefits, and notable achievements.

Soccer has proven to be a notable sport throughout the years starting with its unique history. Soccer began all over the world tracing back thousands of years. The Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Ancient Greek, Persian, Vikings, as well as other nationalities all played a form of the game soccer. In China and Rome, games that were similar to soccer were played around 200 B.C. (Helmer and Owens, 5). People believe that soccer started more than a thousand years ago when villagers killed attacking pirates by cutting off their heads and kicking them around (Helmer and Owens, 5). As time went on, people in Europe also played a game similar to soccer during Medieval Times. In fact, soccer was used to prepare warriors for battles in Ancient Greece and Rome (Dilov-Shultheis). In later history, the English called the game “Football” because soccer was played by kicking the ball with the foot (Helmer and Owens, 6). The name “soccer” came to be when the American’s Association Football was shortened to assoc., and later to soc. Eventually in 1895 it was called soccer (Helmer and Owens, 9). By the late 1700s and 1800s, soccer was played in many universities, but the rules were not ...

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... ball and open space, the beloved game of soccer will continue on in the hearts of many.

Works Cited

Buckley, James. Soccer Super Women. Chanhassen: The Child’s World, 2007.

About Soccer. Diane Dilov-Shultheis. 2012. April 9, 2014

http://www.ehow.com/about_4604801_soccer.html?ref=track2&utm_source=ask.

Gifford, Clive. The Kingfisher Soccer Encyclopedia. Boston: Kingfisher, 2006.

Howard, Dale. Soccer Around the World. Canada: Children’s Press, 1994.

Owens, Thomas and Helmer, Diana Star. Soccer. Brookfield: Twenty-first Century

Books a Division of the Millbrook Press, 2000.

Owens, Thomas and Helmer, Diana Star. The History of Soccer. New York: The

Rosen Publishing Groups Power Kids Press, 2000.

The Benefits of Soccer. Sports Pundit. 2007. April 9, 2014

http://www.sportspundit.com/soccer/articles/14-the-benefits-of-soccer