Like the game itself, the word “football” has foreign ancestors. Historians trace American football back to two European cousins, soccer and rugby. Both began as kicking games. Soccer- the most popular sport in the world – was originally known as “association football.” Newspapers seeking a shorter phrase began to refer to it as “assoc.”

The name “football” originated from the sport’s roots in medieval Europe, where villagers played a game that involved kicking a ball around a field. The game spread across Europe, giving rise to various regional forms of football, including Association Football (soccer), Rugby Football, Gaelic Football, Australian Rules Football, and more.

The exact etymology of the word “football” is slightly unclear, but many historians say the term dates back to the late Middle Ages, when it was used to refer to any sport that was played on foot, as opposed to sports played on horseback.

So why is football called football? It’s speculated that football is called football because the ball is kicked with the foot; hence, football. Another theory is that football derives from European sports, soccer, and rugby, which were also played with feet.