Having traveled rather extensively when I was younger, I was always asked many questions about home (New York City/the United States), and invariably one question that always came up is this – why do Americans call football soccer when most of the world calls it football?
Of course, at the time I would just say that we had the game of American football, so that it made sense that we wouldn't call another game "football" because that would be confusing. I did believe at the time that was the reason, but it is much more complex than that.
The Word "Soccer" Comes from Great Britain
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| The word "soccer" has British origins. |
In the 1800s in Great Britain, there were two games of football that were very popular. There was Rugby Football (played with a ball that looks remarkably similar to the one that is used in American football today) and Association Football (played with what looks like a soccer ball today).
To make a distinction between the two sports, elite university students started calling Association Football "assoccer." This was eventually shortened to the word "soccer." I know it seems unbelievable, but Americans did not come up with the word. The British did!
American Games
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| A typical NFL game |
Across the pond during this time, Americans were developing their own games of baseball and football. Their football game became a combination of British rugby and soccer. This would evolve into the game we know as American Football.
Since this game wasn't rugby or soccer, it was called football. While soccer players use their feet to move the ball – making the name football make sense –- American football involves minimal use of the foot.
Use of Feet in American Football
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| Player kicking a field goal |
Most of the time the ball is transferred by hands, and the receiver holds the football and runs with it to gain yards toward what will hopefully be touchdown. It is understandable why people in other countries don't know why we call the sport football, but feet are used in some important aspects of the game.
The FIFA World Cup
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| It's called football for most of the world |
The FIFA World Cup of Football (Soccer) has increasingly drawn interest in the United States over the years. This year there is a good deal more attention being paid since a number of the matches are taking place in the United States.
Whether you call it football or soccer, the game is the most popular sport on Earth. There are approximately 3.5 to 4 billion soccer fans in the world. The FIFA World Cup is the most watched sporting event in the world.
Soccer in the United States
When I was a kid, I had no exposure to soccer at all. None of my friends had a soccer ball. We always tried out for baseball, basketball, or football teams. Some kids went in for swimming, and a few went for tennis lessons.
Probably the biggest reason we were not interested in soccer was the lack of it being on broadcast TV. I was told by someone who worked for a network that soccer was a hard sell because of two long halves with minimal breaks. Since television networks make money on advertising, there were not enough opportunities for commercial breaks the way there are with other American sports where there are innings, time outs, and quarters.
Kids Love Soccer
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| In the USA little kids like soccer |
The truth is I only got into soccer when my kids started playing. I enjoyed going to their practices and matches. It does seem like many kids like mine play soccer when they're younger, but they are more likely to go in for the popular American sports by the time they get to high school.
Rating Show Things Will Change
With the exposure to soccer coming from the World Cup having some matches played in the United States, there is a chance that soccer will increase in its popularity here. I plan to watch the matches that interest me most, and many Americans are doing the same thing.
For the United States vs. Paraguay (US won 4-1) match on FOX – the English-speaking World Cup television rightsholder in the United States – had 16 million viewers tuned in (on average) over the night, with viewership peaking at around 19 million late in the second half.
Hopefully, these matches will increase the exposure of the sport and awareness of its world wide popularity. So, sit back, and enjoy some matches. Whether you call it soccer or football, it is an exciting game to watch on TV or in person.
Please check out this video that explains why we call football "soccer" in a fun way.
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