History and Evolution of the Football Game

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I. INTRODUCTION

Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking aball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word football is understood to refer to

whichever form of football is the most popular in the regional context in which the

word appears. Sports commonly called 'football' in certain places include:association football (known as soccer in many countries); gridiron football

(specifically American football or Canadian football); Australian rules football;

rugby football (either rugby league or rugby union); and Gaelic football. Thesedifferent variations of football are known as football codes.

Various forms of football can be identified in history, often as popular peasant

games. Contemporary codes of football can be traced back to the codification ofthese games at English public schools during the nineteenth century. The expanse of

the British Empire allowed these rules of football to spread to areas of British

influence outside of the directly controlled Empire, though by the end of thenineteenth century, distinct regional codes were already developing: Gaelic football,for example, deliberately incorporated the rules of local traditional football gamesin order to maintain their heritage.

II. HISTORY

The contemporary history of the world's favourite game spans more than 100

years. It all began in 1863 in England, when rugby football and association football

branched off on their different courses and the Football Association in England wasformed - becoming the sport's first governing body.

Both codesstemmed from a common root and both have a long and intricately

branched ancestral tree. A search down the centuries reveals at least half a dozendifferent games, varying to different degrees, and to which the historical

development of footballhas been traced back. Whether this can be justified in someinstances is disputable. Nevertheless, the fact remains that people have enjoyed

kicking a ball about for thousands of years and there is absolutely no reason toconsider it an aberration of the more 'natural' form of playing a ball with the hands.

On the contrary, apart from the need to employ the legs and feet in tough

tussles for the ball, often without any laws for protection, it was recognised right at

the outset that the art of controlling the ball with the feet was not easy and, as such,

required no small measure of skill. The very earliest form of the game for whichthere is scientific evidence was an exercise from a military manual dating back tothe second and third centuries BC in China.


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This Han Dynasty forebear of football was called Tsu' Chu and it consisted of

kickinga leather ball filled with feathers and hair through an opening, measuringonly 30-40cm in width, into a small net fixed onto long bamboo canes. According

to one variation of this exercise, the player was not permitted to aim at his target

unimpeded, but had to use his feet, chest, back and shoulders while trying towithstand the attacks of his opponents. Use of the hands was not permitted.

Another form of the game, also originating from the Far East, was the

Japanese Kemari, which began some 500-600 years later and is still played today.This is a sport lacking the competitive element of Tsu' Chu with no struggle for

possession involved. Standing in a circle, the players had to pass the ball to eachother, in a relatively small space, trying not to let it touch the ground.

The Greek 'Episkyros' - of which few concrete details survive - was much

livelier, as was the Roman 'Harpastum'. The latter was played out with a smaller ball

by two teams on a rectangular field marked by boundary lines and a centre line. Theobjective was to get the ball over the opposition's boundary lines and as playerspassed it between themselves, trickery was the order of the day. The game remained

popular for 700-800 years, but, although the Romans took it to Britain with them,the use of feet was so small as to scarcely be of consequence.

III.

FIRSTS

Clubs

Sports clubs dedicated to playing football began in the 18th century, forexample London's Gymnastic Society which was founded in the mid-18th centuryand ceased playing matches in 1796.

The first documented club to bear in the title a reference to being a 'football

club' were called "The Foot-Ball Club" who were located in Edinburgh, Scotland,during the period 182441. The club forbade tripping but allowed pushing and

holding and the picking up of the ball. In 1845, three boys at Rugby school were

tasked with codifying the rules then being used at the school. These were the first

set of written rules (or code) for any form of football. This further assisted the spreadof the Rugby game.

Competitions

One of the longest running football fixture is the Cordner-Eggleston Cup,

contested between Melbourne Grammar School and Scotch College, Melbourne


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every year since 1858. It is believed by many to also be the first match of Australianrules football, although it was played under experimental rules in its first year.

The first football trophy tournament was the Caledonian Challenge Cup,

donated by the Royal Caledonian Society of Melbourne, played in 1861 under

the Melbourne Rules. The oldest football leagueis a rugby football competition, the United Hospitals

Challenge Cup (1874), while the oldest rugby trophy is the Yorkshire Cup,

contested since 1878. The South Australian Football Association (30 April 1877)is the oldest surviving Australian rules football competition.

The oldest surviving soccer trophy is the Youdan Cup (1867) and the oldest

national soccer competition is the English FA Cup (1871). The Football League(1888) is recognised as the longest running Association Football league.

The first ever international football match took place between sides representing

England and Scotland on March 5, 1870 at the Oval under the authority of theFA. The first Rugby international took place in 1871.

IV. RULES AND REGULATIONS

Field surface

Matches may be played on natural or artificial surfaces, according to the rules

of the competition. The colour of artificial surfaces must be green. Where artificial

surfaces are used in either competition matches between representative teams ofmember associations affiliated to FIFA or international club competition matches,

the surface must meet the requirements of the FIFA Quality Concept for FootballTurf or the International Artificial Turf Standard, unless special dispensation is givenby FIFA.

Field markings

The field of play must be rectangular and marked with lines. These lines

belong to the areas of which they are boundaries. The two longer boundary lines arecalled touch lines. The two shorter lines are called goal lines. The field of playis

divided into two halves by a halfway line, which joins the midpoints of the two touchlines. The centre mark is indicated at the midpoint of the halfway line. A circle with

a radius of 9.15 m is marked around it. Marks may be made off the field of play,9.15 m from the corner arc and at right angles to the goal lines and the touch lines,

to ensure that defending players retreat this distance when a corner kick is beingtaken.


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The goal area

Two lines are drawn at right angles to the goal line, 5.5 m from the inside ofeach goalpost. These lines extend into the field of play for a distance of 5.5 m and

are joined by a line drawn parallel with the goal line. The area bounded by these

lines and the goal line is the goal area.

The penalty area two lines are drawn at right angles to the goal line, 16.5 m

from the inside of each goalpost. These lines extend into the field of play for adistance of 16.5 m and are joined by a line drawn parallel with the goal line. The

area bounded by these lines and the goal line is the penalty area. Within each penaltyarea, a penalty mark is made 11 m from the midpoint between the goalposts and

equidistant to them. An arc of a circle with a radius of 9.15 m from the centre ofeach penalty mark is drawn outside the penalty area.

Goals

A goal must be placed on the centre of each goal line. A goal consists of twoupright posts equidistant from the corner flagposts and joined at the top by a

horizontal crossbar. The goalposts and crossbar must be made of wood, metal orother approved material.

Number of Players

A match is played by two teams, each consisting of not more than elevenplayers, one of whom is the goalkeeper. A match may not start if either team consistsof fewer than seven players.

Number of substitutions

o Official competitions

Up to a maximum of three substitutesmay be used in any match played in an official

competition organised under the auspices of FIFA, the confederations or the memberassociations. The rules of the competition must state how many substitutes may be

nominated, from three up to a maximum of twelve.

o Other matches

In national A team matches, up to a maximum of six substitutes may be used. Inall other matches, a greater number of substitutes may be used provided that:

the teams concerned reach agreement on a maximum number

the referee is informed before the match If the referee is not informed, or if no

agreement is reached before the match, no more than six substitutes are allowed.


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The authority of the referee

Each match is controlled by a refereewho has full authority to enforce theLaws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed.

Powers and duties- The Referee:

enforces the Laws of the Game

controls the match in cooperation with the assistant referees and, where applicable, with

the fourth official

ensures that any ball used meets the requirements of Law 2

ensures that the players equipment meets the requirements of Law 4

acts as timekeeper and keeps a record of the match

stops, suspends or abandons the match, at his discretion, for any infringements of the

Laws

stops, suspends or abandons the match because of outside interference of any kind

stops the match if, in his opinion, a player is seriously injured and ensures that he isremoved from the field of play. An injured player may only return to the field of play

after the match has restarted

allows play to continue until the ball is out of play if a player is, in his opinion, only

slightly injured

ensures that any player bleeding from a wound leaves the field of play. The player may

only return on receiving a signal from the referee, who must be satisfied that the

bleeding has stopped

allows play to continue when the team against which an offence has been committed

will benefit from such an advantage and penalises the original offence if the anticipated

advantage does not ensue at that time

punishes the more serious offence when a player commits more than one offence at the

same time

takes disciplinary action against players guilty of cautionable and sending-off offences.

He is not obliged to take this action immediately but must do so when the ball next goes

out of play

Periods of play

The match lasts two equal periods of 45 minutes, unless otherwise mutually

agreed between the referee and the two teams. Any agreement to alter the duration

of the periods of play (e.g. to reduce each half to 40 minutes because of insufficientlight) must be made before the start of play and must comply with competition rules.

Players are entitled to an interval at half-time. The half-time interval must notexceed 15 minutes. Competition rules must state the duration of the half-time

interval. The duration of the half-time interval may be altered only with the consentof the referee.


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Offside position

It is not an offence in itself to be in an offside position. A player is in an offsideposition if:

he is nearer to his opponents goal line than both the ball and the second-last

opponent A player is not in an offside position if:

he is in his own half of the field of play or

he is level with the second-last opponent or

he is level with the last two opponents

Offence

A player in an offside position is only penalised if, at the moment the balltouches or is played by one of his team, he is, in the opinion of the referee, involvedin active play by:

interfering with play or

interfering with an opponent or

gaining an advantage by being in that position

Disciplinary sanctions

The yellow cardis used to communicate that a player, substitute or substitutedplayer has been cautioned.

The red cardis used to communicate that a player, substitute or substituted playerhas been sent off. Only a player, substitute or substituted player may be shown

the red or yellow card.

The referee has the authority to take disciplinary sanctions from the moment he

enters the field of play until he leaves the field of play after the final whistle.

A player who commits a cautionableor sending-off offence, either on or off the

field of play, whether directed towards an opponent, a team-mate, the referee, anassistant referee or any other person, is disciplined according to the nature of theoffence committed.


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GLOSSARY

unimpeded= not prevented

referee= the person who arbitrate a football game

soccer= the football played in US

development of football= progression, advancement of the football game

kicking=to strike with the foot

opponents= oppozing players

football club= footballing organization

tournament= a competition in which football teams play for the final prize

teams= group of football players who cooperate for winning

field of play= the ground on which is played the football game

goalpost= upright bar indicating goal area

goalkeeper=the player who defends the goal

substitutes= the replacement used in place of other football player

Documents

History and Evolution of the Football Game