Quote:
Originally posted by CatStarESP4
My parents are big soccer (football outside US/Canada) fans. I get into arguments with them about the name of the sport. Is it football or soccer?
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Both. And here's why...
England developed the term "football" to describe the game. It wasn't however, contrary to popular belief, named "football" because you play it with your feet. It had something to do with the measurement of the ball, I believe, or something like that. A foot. Just how "foot" dealing with measurement gots its name. Some dude measured a King's foot and declared that a foot.
Anyway...
Rugby became popular in England as a different form of football. So, back in the day, "rugby" was called "football" along with "football (soccer)." Rugby, or later American football, was getting confused with "football." So our good ol friends across the pond invented the word "soccer." So they had "soccer" (football in England today) and "football" (rugby in England today).
After the term "rugby" was developed. It was applied to that game and "soccer" became "football" again.
But the games had already been passed through to America. Rugby developed into American Football and soccer is what it is.
And other countries say soccer as well. Australia and New Zealand. Funny, weren't those colonized by the Brits as well?
So next time some England guy yells at you for saying "soccer" tell him to blame his ancestors.
When I refer to a nation or team that uses "soccer" I say soccer. If I refer to a nation or team that uses "football" I say football. Example:
The Chicago Fire play the best soccer in all of MLS!!!! Who's the Best?
Liverpool Football Club just signed Carlos Bocanega in an attempt to gain more female supporters. It's working.
Honey'll get that.