Soccer has been charming the planet for more than 2,000 years now. As one of the most played sports worldwide, many people are familiar with how it goes, but not of its history, some unique soccer facts, or how it continues to be relevant today. Once you dig deeper, you will find a lot of soccer facts that will definitely blow your mind.
It may be too difficult to explain why people are so passionate about the game, but one thing is for sure, within a 90-minute game, it’s got everything a typical sports fan would want! There’s competitiveness, playing against the time, heated game atmosphere, aggressiveness, and athleticism. When you watch a soccer game, it’s hard not to be emotionally involved in the game as you can see heart and passion with every kick!
Want to know more about soccer? Here are some facts compiled by Techy about soccer.
The earliest form of soccer began in China.
The most evident form of soccer was seen in the Chinese game cuju (which means to kick). In this game, players use their body parts except for their hands, and a player’s goal was to kick the ball into a net opening. Chinese cuju is very similar to soccer.
Soccer was born in England.
Some stories tell that soccer developed in England around the 12th century. During this time, people in England play a sport that is similar to soccer, a sport played on grassland and roads. Back then, standard rules were not yet used, players may include kicks and punches. The early form of football was seen as rough, violent, and causing disorder.
English Premier League is one of the most prestigious soccer competitions in the world.
English Premier League is the home of famous soccer teams, managers, and coaches. Furthermore, it is one of the popular soccer competitions in the world. 4.7 billion people watch the games, and the games are aired in 212 countries. The competition usually occurs between August to May.
Premier League was founded in 1992.
English Premier League or EPL has a very fascinating history. The league was founded on February 20, 1992. The first games were in August of the same year. Initially, it had 22 founding members until EPL eventually reduced its members to 20. The league was also called Barclays Premier League to give credit to its official sponsor, Barclays Bank. In the 2016-2017 season, it rebranded itself as EPL.
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest players of his generation.
Portuguese soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, or Cristiano Ronaldo, was born on 5 February 1985. He is widely considered to be one of the best players of all time. His soccer career began with Portuguese football club Sporting CP at the age of 17. A year later, he signed his contract with Manchester United.
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the highest-paid soccer players.
As one of the most talented and marketable players in the world of soccer, it is not surprising that Cristiano Ronaldo belongs on the list of highest-earning athletes. In 2019, Ronaldo took home around €31 million euros. He was also one of the highest-paid endorsers in sports history. In 2016, he became the third person to have a lifetime contract with Nike.
Nettie Honeyball founded one of the earliest women’s soccer team.
In 1895, Nettie Honeyball, also called Mary Hutson, founded the British Ladies’ Football Club. It is one of the earliest women’s soccer teams. To encourage women to join her team, she began to place advertisements in newspapers. Luckily, 30 young girls responded to her and most of them belonged to the middle class.