The World's Game

Throughout history, humans have played some kind of kicking
game. What the world now calls football—or soccer in the
United States—began as far back as 2500 b.c.e. with the Chinese
game of cuju. However, the sport we know today originated
in Britain. In the 1840s, England's Football Association
established a set of rules, and the modern game was born.
Today, more than 200 million players all over the globe
participate in the game, truly making soccer the world's sport.

So, why is soccer so popular? Maybe it's the game's
camaraderie:1 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's the game's international quality. In countries like France,
England, Spain, and 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 Brazil's Neymar and
Nigeria's Victor Moses, come from poor families. Today, both of
these players make millions of euros every year.

Soccer is popular for all of these reasons, but 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. "You
don't need to be rich . . . to play soccer," says historian Peter
Alegi. "You just need a flat space and a ball."

It is this unique simplicity that makes soccer the most popular
sport in Africa. Here, even in rural areas far from the bright lights
and big stadiums, children and adults play the game, often with
handmade balls.

A Love for Soccer The story of soccer in Africa is a long one. In the
19th century, European colonists2 brought the
game to Africa. Early matches were first played in
the South African cities of Cape Town and Port
Elizabeth in 1862. In time, the sport spread across
the continent. Today, several of the game's best
players come from African nations, including
Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Nigeria. All
over the continent, thousands of soccer academies
now recruit boys from poorer cities and towns
to play the game. Many learn to play in their bare
feet,3 and they are tough, creative competitors.
Their dream is to play for the national team or to
join one of the big clubs in Europe someday. For
some, the dream comes true.

But the chance to make money with a
professional team is probably not the main
reason for soccer's popularity in Africa. "Soccer is
the passion of everyone here," says Abubakari
Abdul-Ganiyu, a teacher who works with youth
clubs in Tamale, Ghana. "It unifies us." In fact,
more than once, the game has helped to bring 2 Colonists are people who settle in a country which is ruled
by another country.

people together. In Ivory Coast, for example,
immigrants4 and Muslims faced discrimination5
for years. Yet many of the country's best soccer
players are from Muslim and immigrant families.
As a result, the national team has become a
symbol of unity and has helped to promote
peace throughout the country.

All over Africa, soccer is popular with parents
and teachers for another reason: It keeps young
people—especially boys—in school and out
of trouble. "Most clubs in Tamale, Ghana,
don't allow boys to play if they don't go to
school," explains Abubakari. "We're trying our
best to help young people and to make them
responsible in society. Soccer helps us do this.
For us, soccer is also a tool for hope."