Soccer is one of the most popular sports on the planet, so whether we want to admit it or not, it had a huge impact on the world. It was likely that nobody thought its popularity will escalate so much, so people who came up with it probably had no idea their action left a massive mark on the society. So let’s go over soccer’s history and find out how the seemingly simple idea for a pass-time activity and entertainment echoed throughout all the nations and continents.

Country of origin   

Back in 1863, a group of people came up with a set of rules for a ball game that involved kicking. This happened in England and since there were only 17 rules all you needed in order to play was a clear area and a ball. The reason why this was significant is that it was invented by lower-class citizens who did not have all the fancy toys to enjoy cricket or rugby. In other words right from the get-go, the sport was more accessible and had more participants. 

Over the next hundred years, the game gained popularity and passionate fans became more than just spectators, they became hooligans. Given the sports background and how it is sort of created for religious reasons as a game anyone can enjoy, you could say that hooligans made sense at that time. It was an inspiration to rebel and upset the established system. Unfortunately, today’s outbursts look more like violence for violence’s sake. So, that was a brief history lesson, it was a revolutionary game that unfortunately ended up inspiring acts of violence.      

Love for the sport brought enemies together

Tales of soccer began to spread and by the end of the 19th century, it was not only popular in England. People of Continental Europe also embraced the sport and one event during World War I speaks volumes of how much the love for the game grew. During the Christmas truce in 1914, both German and British troops laid down their weapons and decided to play soccer. So even in times of war, the love for this game had the power to bring people together and give them at least a little comfort during a hellish period.  

Tourism

Today world cups are one of the biggest events on the planet, and people from all over the world come flocking together to a single location. So it evolved far beyond a simple game, it became one of the major driving forces in the economy, because everybody starts to change their schedule to accommodate these events. Reporters, vendors, transport services, security, law enforcement, even the government is affected by these happenings.