Are you ready to dive into the fascinating world of football? Whether you’re a passionate player, a dedicated supporter, or just curious about this amazing sport. We’re going to discover the origins of the game to mind-blowing records and legendary players. Get ready to dribble, pass, and score…

1. Football can be traced back to China and medieval Europe.

Football, as we know it today, evolved from various ball games played worldwide for centuries.

The modern game’s roots can be traced back to medieval Europe, where various forms of kicking a ball around were common entertainment.

The standardised rules of football began to emerge in the 19th century, notably in England.

Did you know that the first EVER version of football originated in China more than 2000 years ago? It was called cuju!

2. Sheffield Football Club is the oldest football club.

Sheffield Football Club, founded in 1857, is recognised by both the English FA and FIFA as the oldest football club in the world that still plays association football.

Find out how footballs are made here!

3. The World Cup started in 1930.

The FIFA World Cup is the most prestigious football tournament globally, with the inaugural competition held in 1930.

It’s held every four years, except for 1942 and 1946 due to World War II. Brazil has won the most World Cup titles, with five victories.

4. The most watched sporting event is the World Cup!

The FIFA World Cup final is one of the most-watched sporting events globally, with billions of viewers.

The 2018 World Cup final between France and Croatia attracted an estimated 1.12 billion viewers.

5. The fastest goal was scored within 2 seconds!

The fastest goal in football history was scored by Nawaf Al Abed of Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal FC in just two seconds during a match in 2009.

This extraordinary feat came straight from the kickoff.

6. The biggest victory in an international football match had a score of 31-0.

The biggest victory in an international football match happened in 2001 when Australia defeated American Samoa 31-0 during a FIFA World Cup qualifier.

Archie Thompson scored 13 goals in that match, setting a record for the most goals by a player in an international match.

7. There are 11 players on a football team.

In football, there are 11 players on each team. Let’s break down the different positions they play:

1. Goalkeeper: This player stands in front of the goal and tries to stop the ball from going into the net. They wear special gloves and often have a different colour football shirts from the rest of the team.
2. Defenders: These players are like the protectors of the goal. They try to stop the other team from getting close to their goal. There are usually two or three defenders, and they work together to block the other team’s players and take the ball away from them.
3. Midfielders: These players run up and down the field, helping both the defence and the offence. They pass the ball between teammates and try to control the flow of the game.
4. Forwards: These players are the goal scorers. They try to get the ball past the other team’s defenders and kick it into the opponent’s goal. They’re usually very fast and good at shooting the ball accurately.

As you can see each position has its own role to play, but they all work together as a team to try to win the game.

8. Women’s football joined the Olympics in 1996. 

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated world football in the 21st century.

Messi has won the Ballon d’Or award, given to the world’s best player, a record seven times, while Ronaldo has won it five times.

9. The longest football match lasted for 35 hours.

The longest football match on record lasted for 35 hours and was played in Scotland in 2016.

It was a charity event organised to raise funds for the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity.

10. Football is always improving with new technology.

Football has seen numerous innovations over the years, from the introduction of goal-line technology to Video Assistant Referees (VAR) to help referees make more accurate decisions.

These technological advancements have aimed to improve the fairness and accuracy of the game.

Find out more here!