How Has Soccer Changed

“It does not matter if its soccer, football, or futbol, it’s the game that brings people together” – Alex Morgan. Soccer is a sport greatly played throughout many countries in which world completions are held for every year. Soccer has changed for the better throughout the years.
According to research, many believe soccer had originated in Spain or Italy. Nevertheless soccer dates back to 200 B.C. in Ancient China. As a form of entertainment the people of the Han Dynasty had dribbled around a leather ball and shot it within a posted area (Toye). Much like china other countries had become involved in playing games similar to the modern day version of soccer. In Greece, two teams of equal players played a game called Episkyros. The players would
In 1365 King Edward III banned soccer because of its excessive violence and for military reasons (Toye). In 1572 Queen Elizabeth set laws that could sentence a soccer player to jail for a week followed by an act of penance within the church (Wood). After these forms of prohibition inflicted many issues between the people and the ruling family, soccer became legal in England in 1605(Wood). Following this legalization the diffusion of soccer within the thirteen colonies became greatly wide spread. It began in Jamestown and had reached Harvard in 1827 (Jezek). It later continued to spread throughout the rest of the thirteen colonies. Post-Civil War soccer became greatly popular throughout colleges. By 1863 eleven clubs had met on October twenty sixth, here they formed a football association. This association had laid the foundations for nearly forty modern national association (Toye). Later on November sixth, 1876 Rutgers and Princeton University had engaged in the first intercollegiate soccer match. This match had a profound effect because it led to soccer becoming more wide spread throughout colleges
Initially girls’ soccer was limited to gym classes, until the interest in playing had grown (Jezek). On December 25, 1917 the establishment of the first women’s soccer team had occurred. The Dick Kerr Ladies FC was made of women who produced ammunition for soldiers fighting in World War Two (Williamson). Through their games the team helped raise money to support injured service men ("Women's Soccer in the United States."). After the war ended Italy established their first women’s team in 1950, soon followed by Germany in 1957(Jezek). In 1951 the Craig Club was established. The club was the first women’s league established. It consisted of 4 teams, these teams only lasted two seasons but had played with full schedules (Jezek). Shortly after the WUSA (Women’s United Soccer Association) formed. It was the first league to consist of entirely professional female soccer players (Longman). In the 1966 Olympics Americas Women’s National team had won their first Olympic Soccer event. Afterwards they started playing other countries more frequently. In 1991 China held the Inaugural Women’s Cup, the US women’s Soccer team had won as well