How Do You Define Football? The Meaning, Uses And Origin.

Football is a term that can be defined in a lot of ways. It depends on you in what way you want to use it. You might not be familiar with all the uses and meanings of Football. So here in this article, you will get to know everything that define the football and its meaning, uses and origin.

But before we start, let us understand football in simple terms… football is basically known as the most popular sport in the world which is played with a ball. The player has to kick the ball with his/her feet and score a goal. 

Football Definition

Football is a game played between two teams consisting of 11 players each. This is the most used definition to describe football. A game that is played on a rectangular field of standard measurements consisting of a touchline, goal line, goalpost, etc. 

In this game, the main object is a ball that has to be kicked by feet and get over the goal line into a goal or between goalposts. The ball can be touched by any part of the body except the hands and arms while playing the game.

1. Soccer: Football is also known as Soccer. This name first originated in England and was used by the British until the mid-1900s. Then, they stopped calling it Soccer and continued with football.
2. Rugby: This is another name for football played in earlier times. It is played by hand instead of feet. In earlier times, it was developed as a distinct form of football and later came to be known separately as Rugby. 
3. American football: An American game that is played between two teams consisting of 11 players each. American football is played a little bit different as the ball is in possession of only one team at one time and is advanced by kicking, passing or running. 
4. Australian football: The game of football played in Australia, is a different form of game than the universally played one.
5. Canada: Did you know that after football stopped being called Soccer by the British, two countries adopted this name? At present only in two countries of the world football is called Soccer – America and Canada. 
6. Football: An inflated ball which is used to play football. If we break the term football, it would be foot and ball which means a ball kicked by feet. The game as a whole is known as football and the most important equipment used in the game is also called football.

British Definition:

When it comes to British vocabulary, football is known as Soccer Ball. As I already mentioned that there was a time when the game used to be called Soccer, so I don’t think it’s difficult to make out why they call it a Soccer Ball.

Football in Politics

Have you ever thought that the football you enjoy enormously while eating, tripping or on vacations could have a connection with politics? It sounds weird, doesn’t it? But you have to accept the fact that politics has a different definition for football as they use the term in their own way. 

Football in Politics is something or an issue that is constantly treated as a subject to a prolonged dispute and doesn’t conclude soon. 

For example, a sentence that contains the football in its political aspect can be, “the issue became a political football in Congress”. 

Interesting facts about Football

• The term ‘football’ was used in the 15th century for the very first time while its origin is estimated to be in China in the 13th century. It was founded by a local Dynasty Han and was called Cuju. 
• American football evolved as a combination of rugby and Soccer in the 19th century.
• The first intercollegiate match was played in 1869 between Rutgers College and Princeton University. 
• College football grabbed the attention of people and became one of the most popular sports in America. The rules of collegiate football were also standardized in 1873 resulting in the formation of the Ivy League.
• Professional football started in the 1890s and became one of the major sports in the world after World war II. The National football league (NFL) was formed in 1922 from an earlier association. 
• The American football league was founded in 1959.
• The NFL is now bifurcated into an American and a national conference. The conference winners are promoted to the Super Bowl championship. 

Phrases Including Football

1. Association football
2. Gridiron football (especially Canadian football or American football)
3. Australian rules football
4. Gaelic football
5. Football codes (various forms of football developed based on their origins)
6. Football League was founded in England and it gave way to other leagues. There are more than 200 football leagues around the world at present.