While no one can exactly pinpoint the start of soccer, it is known that the Japanese played a game of kicking around a ball on a small field back in 1004 B.C. However, it is known with certainty that China played a game very similar to soccer with a leather ball that was filled with hair in 611A.D. In 1307, King Edward banned the sport, saying it was indecent and vulgar, the banished sport make a comeback and was officially sanctioned in England in 1681.

Eton College has the earliest known set of rules on the game. Prior to this, the lack of structured rules may have been the cause of chaos during many games. However, soccer is now the most played and watched sport in the world. Over 8 million people on average each year play soccer and the last World Cup had over 33 million viewers. This was more than football, baseball, and basketball combined.  Even the Olympics couldn’t come close to these numbers. Soccer truly is the world’s sport of sports!