History of Soccer (football)

Association Football
During the second part of the 19th century in England, rugby as well as most sports experienced a massive surge in popularity. This was mostly an effect of the Industrial Revolution, which drew people in cities and factories, depriving them from the typical outdoor activities of rural life. Recreation became common and people turned to sport on Sundays, in addition to their religious activities. British traders, sailors and workers spread sport and football all over the globe through their web of colonies

Association Football Milestones
Early Days of FIFA (1904-1938)

Modern Era
Soccer, as we know it today, was molded during the 1960s. Increased media coverage and TV broadcasts made the game far more popular than it ever was. Commercial air flight replaced traveling by ship, which made it more efficient to conduct international matches.

Hooliganism in European Football
Hooligans and Ultras
Greatest Soccer Derbies and Rivalries
History of Soccer Gaming

Jules Rimet (left) was president of the French football federation and FIFA at the time of the first World Cup. The original World Cup trophy was named in his honor. The trophy itself had a rocky history: During World War II, Ottorino Barassi, an official of the Italian football association, hid it in a shoe-box under his bed. Later, it was stolen during a public exhibition just before the 1966 World Cup Final, then recovered and stolen again, seventeen years later in Brazil. It hasn't been found seen since and many speculate that it may have been melted.