Is Football the Same as Soccer or Different?
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Is Football the Same as Soccer or Different?
When you ask the question, “What is football?” you’ll get two different answers depending on where you are in the world. If you’re in North America, you’ll get an answer about American Football. If you’re in Europe you’ll get an answer about Soccer. Both types of Football are big sports that have thousands of athletes playing and millions of fans watching each game. In the US, where both sports are played, millions of people gather data about the best teams, watch and discuss every match and the players, and even bet on the sport.
But some people can’t help but compare American Football vs Soccer. Both games are called football, but each game is very different from the other. They have different sets of rules, different scoring methods, and different types of athletes. What’s the same between the two of them is the simple objective of the game – to get the ball into a certain area of the field, called the “goal”, to score points and the team that has the highest score by the end of the match wins. This is something they share with several other sports, such as lacrosse, hockey, or basketball. But if they’re so different why are they both called “Football”? And what are the differences between the two sports?
Football
Football is actually a name given to a family of ball games that use the feet to kick a ball. Modern ball games involve kicking the ball around a field with the objective of sending the ball towards a “goal” to score. Ball games have been recorded since ancient times. Balls, or any round objects for that matter, seem to attract humans and other animals, such as cats and dogs. In humans, they especially attract male babies and children as toys because balls require more physical interaction between the user and the object. Ball games have been recorded in Ancient Greece, Ancient China, Ancient Egypt, and even Mesoamerica.
The evolution of these ball games into what we now know as football all started in 1848 when Cambridge University decided to write their own rules. These rules, known as the Cambridge Rules, were in addition to the many other rules that were already existing at the time. In 1863 the plans to merge all the rules into one single comprehensive set was done with the formation of the Football Association (FA), though those used to playing according to the rugby rules eventually left, or did not join the FA, to form their own association in 1871, called the Rugby Football Union. The FA version of the game became what is known as association football, or soccer as they call it in the US, and rugby as rugby. Walter Camp took part of the rules from both and created what is now known as American Football. Many American Football fans consider him the “Father of American Football”. They further changed the rules so that they differed completely from rugby and eventually it became known as Gridiron Football (a.k.a. North American football).
Why Football Became Soccer
The word “Soccer” was derived to shorten the name “association football”, just like how rugby football became “Rugger”. Eventually, Europeans stopped calling it Soccer and just called it football. Across the Atlantic, the Americans used the name soccer to identify the difference between association football and their own gridiron football, which they just called “Football”. So, when you talk to an American about Football, you’ll be talking about North American or Gridiron Football. To refer to the Association Football, you call it Soccer. When talking to Europeans, Asians, and Latinos about Football, you’re referring to Association Football instead.
So What’s the Difference?
The difference between the two sports comes from the rules and the methods of play, as well as each of their scoring systems. The goal of the game, however, remains the same. For example, in soccer, all the players, except for the goalkeepers, are only allowed to kick the ball or head the ball around. Only the goalkeepers are allowed to hold and throw the ball. In American football, players can kick the ball over the goal to score or carry the ball with their hands, while running towards the end zone.
The balls are different – the ball used in Soccer is a perfectly round ball with black and white patches while the ball used in Football is spheroid with two pointed ends, and it is typically a reddish brown colour. The difference between the two balls also has something to do with how the game is played – in Soccer, they kick the ball through the air or along the pitch, so it needs to be a perfect sphere. The shape of the ball for American Football makes it easier to throw and catch and to grip, hug and carry the ball around.
Both sports have two opposing teams with 11 players each. Each team must take the ball to their opponent’s goal, or in American Football’s case, the end zone, to score. In Soccer, a team is awarded one point for each successful goal. In American Football, a touchdown nets a team 6 points, with a chance to score an extra point afterwards, while a field goal gives the scoring team 3 points. There’s also the unlikely event that an offensive player is struck down by the defending team while in their own end zone. This gives the defending team 2 points.
The gear players wear is also different. A Soccer player’s kit consists of a jersey with the team’s logo and their number, shorts, socks, shoes and shin pads. American Football requires its players to wear a number of protective elements because of the very physical nature of the game. These include a helmet, shoulder pads and knee pads. American Football players have a more complex kit than that of their Soccer counterparts.
The Best Football
With all the differences, which football is the most fun? Well, there’s no real answer to that question. Each sport has its own fan base, and the only reason American Football has a lower number of fans is because the sport is niche – it’s only popular in certain countries, mainly in the US. Soccer, however, is played in a lot of countries, with each country having their own national teams to represent them in tournaments.
But if you’re trying to decide which is best when it comes to football vs soccer and which sport to play, it might be best to try both sports. Just judging which sport is more fun without even trying them both seems foolish. Who knows which sport you’ll end up liking more.