Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, so much so that it is practically considered a religion in many countries. However, this is not the case in the United States, which is evidenced by the fact that we call it soccer instead of football, as the rest of the world does.
Considering how famous soccer is in the world, do you know any interesting facts about it? If not, then don’t worry, for we have compiled a list of 8 facts about soccer that you will not only find interesting and fun but also very informative, and who knows, maybe after reading them, you might even develop an interest in this amazing sport.
1. It Is the World’s Most Popular Sport
We have already established that soccer is the most famous sport in the world, but exactly how famous? Let us find out by looking at some stats. As per FIFA, more than 265 million people play soccer worldwide, and it is the most widely played sport on almost every continent.
If that wasn’t amazing in itself, then this fact is that more than a billion people tune in to watch major soccer events like the UEFA Champions League or the FIFA World Cup. In comparison the last Super Bowl got only 127 million viewers.
2. The Origins Date Back Over 2,000 Years
The modern sport of soccer as we know it was created in England when its rules and regulations were officially codified in 1863. However, the origins of the sport go way far back and to unexpected lands as a sport similar to soccer was played in Greece and even among the Romans some 2000 years ago.
At the same time, in ancient China, a similar sport called Cuju was being played by the soldiers of the Han dynasty, and in their language, Cuju translates to kick ball. Examples of similar sports are also found among other cultures like the Mesoamericans.
3. The FIFA World Cup is the Biggest Sporting Event
Unlike the Super Bowl, which is held every year, the biggest sporting event in the world, the FIFA World Cup, is held every four years, and unlike the Super Bowl, where teams from only the United States compete for the highest title, in the World Cup, 32 national teams compete.
But that is not all, because these 32 teams are the only ones that qualify for the tournament, with many more being eliminated beforehand. As for the number of people watching the event itself, the 2018 World Cup in Russia had a global audience of over 3.5 billion people.
4. The Fastest Goal Ever Scored
Many Americans find soccer to be a slow sport, where teams often score only one or two goals, and it is not surprising to see a match end with none of the teams scoring a single goal. However, the fastest goal in professional soccer history was scored by Nawaf Al-Abed of Saudi Arabia within 2 seconds of the game starting.
In international football, however, this title went to Hakan Şükür of Turkey, who scored a goal in 11 seconds during the 2002 FIFA World Cup against South Korea.
5. A Game Once Lasted for Over Three Hours
A standard soccer match consists of two 45-minute halves, and an average soccer game lasts a little over 90 minutes with extra time. But in 1946, a game being played between Stockport County and Doncaster Rovers in England lasted 3 hours and 23 minutes due to extra time and replays.
6. Goalkeepers Can Also Score
Normally, we expect goalkeepers to stay back and guard the goal post while other players in the team try to score goals, but that is not always the case. In fact, you will be amazed to know that the record for most goals scored by a goalkeeper is 131, and it is held by Rogério Ceni of Brazil. But to put your mind at ease and relieve some of the anxiety, he mostly did it with penalties and free kicks.
7. Soccer Balls Were Originally Made from Animal Bladders
Soccer balls today are designed very carefully in labs so they can be aerodynamic but not impact the game in any meaningful way. In fact, modern soccer balls even have sensors installed in them. But this was not always the case, as early balls were made of pig bladder covered in leather.
8. The Highest-Scoring Soccer Match
Coming back to the point of how most Americans find soccer to be a slow sport due only a few goals scored in each match, if at all. Let us look at the highest scoring match of all time, which took place in Madagascar in 2002, where AS Adema scored 149 goals against the opposing team.
If you are wondering how many scores the other team scored, the answer is 0. This is because the opposing team, SO l’Emyrne, scored most of its own goals throughout the match as it was protesting.
