Football

This article is about the word "football". For the sport most often called "football", see Association football.

"Football" is a word which could mean one of several sports. The best-known type of football is association football. This is called "soccer" in North America, South Africa, and Australia to avoid confusion with other types of football that are commonly played there.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are two of the most widely-known football players in the world.

Logo of Galatasaray a Turkish football club

The name "football" comes from the two words "foot" and "ball". It is named "football", because the players of the game walk and often run (on their feet) while playing, as opposed to (for example) polo where the players ride horses. Football is played using a ball, also called a football, that is usually shaped like a sphere or an ellipsoid. The ball is often kicked with the foot, but depending on the game, it can also be hit using other parts of the body (in association football) and handling the ball is a part of some other sports known as football. Players can use any part of their body except their arms and hands. Goal keepers can use every part of their body to keep the ball out of the goal.

Some elements of football have been seen in many countries, dating back to the second and third century AD in China. The modern games of both rugby football and association football comes from 19th-century England. Kicking a ball, in Europe, was described in Britannia (now western Scottish lowlands), in Germania (now Deutchland) and Gallia (now France and northern-central Italy). An evolution goes back to the Middle Ages in Paris. Association football (founded in Richmond, London at the end of 1800) spread to many other parts of Europe, and was brought to the rest of the world with colonization. Today, it is the most popular sport in the world and many people watch it on television, especially the FIFA World Cup that happens every four years.

Every year there is a Football Club Competition called as Champions League. All the qualified big teams take part. At the end, we have one winner who takes the prestigious UEFA trophy. All big players play for their own teams. Some big players who take part every year are Mbappe, Ronaldo, Messi, Dybala, Neymar and many more.

Types of football

A game of American (gridiron) football. Canadian football is very similar.

• Association football (soccer)
• Rugby
  • Rugby league football
  • Rugby union football
• Gridiron football
  • American football
  • College football
  • Touch rugby - Called "touch football" in Australia.
  • Canadian football
• Gaelic football
• Australian Rules Football