History of Soccer

First Evidence of Soccer Being Played

250 BCE

This gives an idea of just how simple the idea of soccer was, and gives a baseline for future humans to develop the sport as a whole.
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Early Form of Soccer Banned in England

Nov 12, 1365

The banning of soccer in England due to violent incidents shows how brutal the game of soccer could be, giving later humans a hint to the importance of preventing violent behavior from occurring frequently.
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Relegalization of Football in England

Nov 14, 1605

Football is legalized in England once again, with a basic set of rules placed against extreme violence. This begins a renaissance age for soccer, going from a brutal and barbaric sport to a sport which is both competitive and regulated.Source

Creation of Cambridge Rules

Aug 24, 1840

Cambridge Rules, a set of rules pertaining to soccer, are created, giving the sport regulation needed in order for it to be fair at a competitive level.
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Passing Rule Modified

Apr 24, 1860

The original passing rule set in place by the Cambridge Rules were modified for passing.Players who were fast enough could charge the ball and score a goal before the defending players could react. The rule change made it so the attacking player would be considered off-sides if they run past the 3rd line of defenders. This allowed for a more fluid game, with more organized offense and defense.
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Football Association Created

Dec 11, 1863

The Football Association is created, allowing for an organization to create rules and focus completely on the game of Football (Soccer). This focuses rulemaker's efforts and generally improves the game as a whole.
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Handling of Ball Banned

Jan 6, 1869

The football association bans all hand contact on the field with the ball (excluding goalies) in order to separate itself from a similar sport, Rugby. This makes soccer a feet-only sport, drastically changing the focus of the game to leg-work instead of brute strength to get goals.
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First Official International Game

Nov 30, 1872

The first game hosted between 2 different nations; Scotland vs. England. Game ended 0-0, and was hosted in Glasgow, Scotland. This begins the promotion of Soccer as an international sport, and developed the popularity to become as such in comparison to other sports such as football, baseball, etc. Source

FIFA Created

Jun 10, 1904

FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), was established in order to promote international rulesets for the many leagues and teams forming worldwide. This finalizes the establishment of Football (Soccer) as an international sport, giving worldwide leagues the chance to form.
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First FIFA World Cup

Jul 13, 1930

The first international world cup, with 13 participating nations, took place in 1930 with Uruguay as the victor. This set the foundation for many leagues hosted across the world, such as Copa America and the FIFA World Cups still hosted now. Source