Football, or soccer in the U.S, dates back to 2500 B.C with the Chinese game of Tsu chu. The sport we know today originated from Britain. Today, more than 120 million players over the globe participate in the game, making soccer the world sport.

So, why is soccer so popular? Maybe it's the feeling that the team on the field is your team; their win is your victory, and their loss is your defeat. Or maybe it is the game's international quality. In countries like France, England, Spain, Brazil, major teams have players from many different nations, and these clubs now have fans all over the world. Or perhaps it's the promise of great wealth. A number of professional soccer players, including Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, come from poor families. Today, both of these players make millions of euros every year.

However, ultimately, the main reason for its universal appeal may be this. It's a simple game. It can be played anywhere with anything - a ball, a can, or even some bags tied together. And anyone can play it.

In the mid-1800s, European colonists brought the game to Africa. Early matches were first played in the South African cities of Cape Town in 1862. Today, some of the game's best players come from African nations and all over the continent, thousands of soccer academies now recruit boys from poorer cities and towns to play the game. Their dream is to join a national team or one of the big clubs in Europe someday. For some, the dream comes true, but for most, it doesn't.

Football, or soccer in the U.S, dates back to 2500 B.C with the Chinese game of Tsu chu. The sport we know today originated from Britain. Today, more than 120 million players over the globe participate in the game, making soccer the world sport.

So, why is soccer so popular? Maybe it's the feeling that the team on the field is your team; their win is your victory, and their loss is your defeat. Or maybe it is the game's international quality. In countries like France, England, Spain, Brazil, major teams have players from many different nations, and these clubs now have fans all over the world. Or perhaps it's the promise of great wealth. A number of professional soccer players, including Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, come from poor families. Today, both of these players make millions of euros every year.

However, ultimately, the main reason for its universal appeal may be this. It's a simple game. It can be played anywhere with anything - a ball, a can, or even some bags tied together. And anyone can play it.

In the mid-1800s, European colonists brought the game to Africa. Early matches were first played in the South African cities of Cape Town in 1862. Today, some of the game's best players come from African nations and all over the continent, thousands of soccer academies now recruit boys from poorer cities and towns to play the game. Their dream is to join a national team or one of the big clubs in Europe someday. For some, the dream comes true, but for most, it doesn't.

Football, or soccer in the U.S, dates back to 2500 B.C with the Chinese game of Tsu chu. The sport we know today originated from Britain. Today, more than 120 million players over the globe participate in the game, making soccer the world sport.

So, why is soccer so popular? Maybe it's the feeling that the team on the field is your team; their win is your victory, and their loss is your defeat. Or maybe it is the game's international quality. In countries like France, England, Spain, Brazil, major teams have players from many different nations, and these clubs now have fans all over the world. Or perhaps it's the promise of great wealth. A number of professional soccer players, including Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, come from poor families. Today, both of these players make millions of euros every year.

However, ultimately, the main reason for its universal appeal may be this. It's a simple game. It can be played anywhere with anything - a ball, a can, or even some bags tied together. And anyone can play it.

In the mid-1800s, European colonists brought the game to Africa. Early matches were first played in the South African cities of Cape Town in 1862. Today, some of the game's best players come from African nations and all over the continent, thousands of soccer academies now recruit boys from poorer cities and towns to play the game. Their dream is to join a national team or one of the big clubs in Europe someday. For some, the dream comes true, but for most, it doesn't.

Football, or soccer in the U.S, dates back to 2500 B.C with the Chinese game of Tsu chu. The sport we know today originated from Britain. Today, more than 120 million players over the globe participate in the game, making soccer the world sport.

So, why is soccer so popular? Maybe it's the feeling that the team on the field is your team; their win is your victory, and their loss is your defeat. Or maybe it is the game's international quality. In countries like France, England, Spain, Brazil, major teams have players from many different nations, and these clubs now have fans all over the world. Or perhaps it's the promise of great wealth. A number of professional soccer players, including Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, come from poor families. Today, both of these players make millions of euros every year.

However, ultimately, the main reason for its universal appeal may be this. It's a simple game. It can be played anywhere with anything - a ball, a can, or even some bags tied together. And anyone can play it.

In the mid-1800s, European colonists brought the game to Africa. Early matches were first played in the South African cities of Cape Town in 1862. Today, some of the game's best players come from African nations and all over the continent, thousands of soccer academies now recruit boys from poorer cities and towns to play the game. Their dream is to join a national team or one of the big clubs in Europe someday. For some, the dream comes true, but for most, it doesn't.

Football, or soccer in the U.S, dates back to 2500 B.C with the Chinese game of Tsu chu. The sport we know today originated from Britain. Today, more than 120 million players over the globe participate in the game, making soccer the world sport.

So, why is soccer so popular? Maybe it's the feeling that the team on the field is your team; their win is your victory, and their loss is your defeat. Or maybe it is the game's international quality. In countries like France, England, Spain, Brazil, major teams have players from many different nations, and these clubs now have fans all over the world. Or perhaps it's the promise of great wealth. A number of professional soccer players, including Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, come from poor families. Today, both of these players make millions of euros every year.

However, ultimately, the main reason for its universal appeal may be this. It's a simple game. It can be played anywhere with anything - a ball, a can, or even some bags tied together. And anyone can play it.

In the mid-1800s, European colonists brought the game to Africa. Early matches were first played in the South African cities of Cape Town in 1862. Today, some of the game's best players come from African nations and all over the continent, thousands of soccer academies now recruit boys from poorer cities and towns to play the game. Their dream is to join a national team or one of the big clubs in Europe someday. For some, the dream comes true, but for most, it doesn't.