National Soccer Day – July 28, 2025

History of National Soccer Day

The irresistible urge to kick a rock lying by our feet is something we all have in common, and a soccer ball is just a bigger but less heavy version of a round stone. So, following that logic, every civilization has had its version of soccer from time immemorial. People in ancient China played a type of soccer known as ‘cuju’ using a ball made of leather and feathers. Cuju later spread to Japan, where it was known as ‘kemari.’ Similarly, the Aztecs played a ritualistic game called ‘ollama,’ in which the ball was considered a symbol of the sun, and the captain of the losing team was sometimes sacrificed to the gods. Later, the Mesoamericans used rubber balls — which were absent in other cultures — to play a similar game.

In its modern form, soccer can be traced back to London. It was played in two styles: rugby and Eton. In the beginning, the game rules were liberal, and there weren’t many restraints, so many people participated in the sport. However, the lack of rules often led to heated matches and fatal injuries. Eventually, the game’s violent nature and serious injury toll led to a country-wide ban. Yet, the game was so popular that restrictions were lifted instantly.

A few centuries later, in 1863, the first football association was formed in London. The association standardized and established the first version of soccer rules. They also banned the use of hands in the game and created standards for the size and weight of the ball used in the game. The new set of rules and standards divided the game into two classes: football and rugby. Rugby allows players to hold the ball in their hands and run, but soccer does not. Over time, the game’s popularity spread from England into its colonies, such as what is now known as the U.S.