Soccer or Football?

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From the 15th century onwards many games involving a ball and different parts of the body were played in England, they were all called "football"; these have evolved into different modern sports. The most famous one in Europe is called "Association Football", more commonly named as "football" or "footy". "American Football", also called "gridiron football" or just "football" in the USA, comes from the football that started to be played at the Rugby School and later on took its name, that is, from rugby.

So, what is "football"? 

In Europe, we call "football" to the game played by two teams of eleven agile and quick players who try to put a spherical ball into the rival's goal without touching it with the arms or hands.The game lasts for 90 minutes with a 15 minutes rest in the middle. In 1863 the Football Association was created. It is nowadays an Olympic Sport.

In the USA, we call "football" to the game played by two teams of eleven really strong players with lots of protective equipment who try to get an  ellipsoid ball into the opponents' end zone, they can run with it in their hands or kick it, they normally protect it with their own bodies so that the opponents don't get the ball. The game normally lasts for four 15 minutes quarters with a rest of 10 to 20 minutes after the second quarter. The first records of an official game dates back to 1869. It is not an Olympic Sport.

Americans, but also Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders, refer to"Association Football" as  "Soccer".

A fun way to learn football vocabulary at the British Council's web.
So, do you like football, or should I say "soccer"...? Leave your comments and tell me!!!