1. The oldest soccer-like sport was played over 2,000 years ago in ancient Chinese, Greek, and Roman cultures.
2. England’s first football association was created in 1863.
3. One rule established by the association was that the ball could not be carried by hand.
4. Increasing industrialization made soccer more popular in England.
5. Talented players were paid, and workplace-team matches turned soccer into a revenue-generating spectator sport.
6. The first professional soccer league was the English Football League.
7. Semi-professional leagues began in Germany in 1949, and the first professional German division started in 1963/64.
8. American soccer leagues switched from “football” to “soccer” in the late 1910s and early 1920s to avoid confusion with American football.
9. The first U.S. professional soccer leagues formed in 1967: the United Soccer Association and the National Professional Soccer League.
10. These leagues merged to create the North American Soccer League in 1968.
11. The U.S. hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
12. Major League Soccer in the U.S. was established in 1996.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of comprehension worksheet for grade 7.
