Association football, also commonly referred to as simply football, is an organized sport played by a spherical ball containing twelve players. It’s played by about 250 million people in more than 200 countries and possessions, making it the most popular sport in the world. The game has a long tradition, going back about a hundred years to the time when Europeans first started playing a ball-game. Today, many nations, from Japan to Belgium, to Nigeria, to South Africa, to Australia, to the United States, to Canada, are involved in some type of association football.
The game of football involves kicking a ball with a long stick or using some other kind of long object for the ball to pass across the field. Many people refer to the game of football as “rugby” rather than “football.” Rugby football in England is similar to Association football in that the ball is used for passing and kicking. However, rugby football is normally played with less contact than is the case in Association football. In both sports, however, a tackle is a common rule, and both require several phases of play before any points are awarded.
The game of football can be enjoyed by individuals of all ages, since it’s easy to pick up. Although many adults enjoy the game of football, it’s become popular amongst younger generations as well, and is especially popular in North America where football leagues are developed and governed by amateur clubs. Many youngsters play football games on an amateur level, either with local teams or in national leagues that bring together different youth leagues from various countries.