Association football, also called just soccer or football, is an organized sport played by a spherical ball either between two groups of eleven players or between twelve and twenty-two players depending on the type of game. It is played by more than 250 million people in more than 200 nations and dependencies, which make it the most popular sport in the world. The term “football” comes from the French term “futebol” which means “ball.” The name “football” is derived from the Greek word “fussil,” which means “ball.”
The game of soccer evolved in the nineteenth century: and was played between two non-professional teams of players from the same country. Later, professional leagues were created and now, it is played professionally between various teams. The most well-known of these would be the English Premier League and the Italian league. International soccer tournaments are also held, with the most prestigious being the World Cup. Football lovers all over the world watch this competition, which is organized every four years.
Another type of soccer: that is very popular in the United States is American football, better known as football or soccer in the colloquial sense. Unlike soccer played in Europe, American football relies mainly on the strength of its defense to win the game. Both clubs and players wear football uniforms during matches; however, the more popular ones are those worn by supporters of different teams. It has been said that the popularity of soccer in the United States is due to the fact that the majority of its fanatics are American.
Soccer competitions are held regularly all around the world: with the most famous being the World Cup, which is hosted every four years. Another interesting thing about soccer is that aside from being the most popular game it is also the most watched. Every single day, at least hundreds of thousands of people watch this competitive game. All over America and the rest of the western countries, fans and teams cheering for their favorite team engage in soccer games. This has helped increase the level of exposure of the sport worldwide, giving football and soccer with a wider audience.
A number of other sports have risen in popularity over the past few decades: Golf for instance, did not exist a couple of hundred years ago, nor did tennis. With so many sports games available today, it is becoming difficult for football and soccer fans to choose which games they will prefer to follow. Soccer is still the king and queen of sport but other sports have tried to emulate its greatness. Nowadays, soccer fans can choose between football and tennis and be able to enjoy both equally.
The influence of football and soccer has spread all over the world: The US has national soccer teams, while in Europe numerous clubs have been formed. Soccer games attract huge audiences and the popularity is only increasing. This means that the football and soccer fanatics will continue to spread their love for this game.
In the coming years, you can expect even more advancements in the field of soccer and it will become even more popular.