One of the most ambiguous terms in the world of sports these days is the word "football." Depending on where one is standing, football could be a reference to no less than three sports: association football (soccer), American football or rugby football. The most common example of this is the labeling of association football as soccer in the United States and several other nations. It is important to note that although association football and American football share a similarity in name, they are completely different sports with unique origins, rules and cultures.
History of Soccer
The sport of soccer has almost certainly been played since before the Common Era, with similar sports known to have been played over 3000 years ago in Japan. There are many games that can trace their origins back to these games, including rugby and Australian football. The first soccer rules were published in England, at Eton College in 1815. In 1863, rugby and football formally branched apart, and the modern game was born under the aegis of the Football Association. Soccer is played in more countries and watched by more fans than baseball, football, hockey and basketball combined.
History of Football
The sport of American football shares a common ancestry with soccer, but owes a direct debt to rugby, an alternate outgrowth of soccer originating at England's Rugby School. The commonly accepted birth date of American football is November 6, 1869, when Princeton and Rutgers Universities met in the first intercollegiate football match. The rules underwent various tweaks and adjustments until the addition of the "fourth down" in 1912. This was the last great change in the game's rules, and in 1920, The American Professional Football Conference, the precursor to the NFL, was formed.
Differences between Soccer and Football
The most obvious difference between these two sports is the rules regarding the use of the hands. In soccer, the hands are strictly forbidden from touching the ball, while in American football, they are an integral part of ball movement. Also, in football teams move down the field in increments, one play at a time, while in soccer play is open, fluid and continuous. Another difference is the system of "downs" used in football, giving teams four plays to gain ten yards or turn the ball over.
Top Soccer League in The World
The question of which soccer league is the best in the world is a tricky one. For best quality top to bottom, the Spanish La Liga, featuring European club powers Real Madrid and Barcelona, has the edge, but if we are talking average attendance, it is Germany's Bundesliga that leads the way with more that 40,000 fans attending each game on average. England's Premier League takes the crown as far as most watched soccer league with little competition due to the immense popularity of clubs like Manchester United worldwide.
The National Football League
Unlike soccer, there is no debate as to the best American football league in the world: the NFL has virtually no competition. More fans attend a professional football game on average, than any other sport in the world. In 2008-09, the NFL's average per game attendance was over 60,000. The National Football League enjoys tremendous popularity in the United States and is right on the heels of baseball as the nation's most popular sport.
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