The Home of Football

Although early ball sports were played in many parts of the world, the evolution of football as we
know i today took place in Britain. The game that was played in the British Isles from the 8th to the
19th centuries had lots of different local and regional versions. These different versions were
structured to create the modern-day sports of association football, rugby football and, in Ireland,
Gaelic football.
Early football was more disorganised, more violent and usually played by an unknown number of
players. Frequently, games were more like a competition between whole villages – through streets
and squares, across fields, walls and rivers. Kicking was allowed, as in fact was almost everything
else. Sometimes kicking the ball was impossible because of the size and weight of the ball being
used. In fact, it was only after the rules of football were established in 1863 that the size and weight
of the ball were finally standardised.
One theory is that the game is Anglo-Saxon in origin. In both Kingston-on-Thames and Chester,
local legend has it the game was played there for the first time with the head of a defeated Danish
prince. In Derby, it is said to have originated in the third century during the victory celebrations that
followed a battle against the Romans. Scholars have also suggested that as well as demonstrating
strength and skill, these early ‘footballers’ were performing special ceremonies. The ball symbolised
the sun, which had to be moved around, or across, a field to make sure the crops would grow and
danger kept away.
For all the disagreement on the origins of the game, one thing is sure: football has existed for over a
thousand years in what we like to call its home, Britain.
 Example:
Although modern football started in Britain, other places were the first to play
A. ball sports B. rugby football C. local matches

 27 Before the 10th Century the game had no formal rules and .................................
A. no one in the village knew how to play. B. only the most violent villages played.
C. everyone in the village played on the team.

 28 Kicking the ball was .................................

A. the only action allowed B. the best way to win C. only part of the game

 29 One story talks about a match played where the ball was .................................
A. a prince’s head. B. an unusual size. C. impossible to kick.

 30 Scholars think that in the past playing football .................................

A. made the players strong. B. stopped attacks by enemies. C. copied the movement

of the sun.
 31 Everyone agrees .................................
A. about the origins of football. B. Britain is the home of football. C. football is a

very old game.