1.
Rio de Janeiro
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Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the second-most populous municipality in Brazil and the sixth-most populous in the Americas. The metropolis is anchor to the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area, Rio de Janeiro is the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazils third-most populous state. Part of the city has designated as a World Heritage Site, named Rio de Janeiro. Founded in 1565 by the Portuguese, the city was initially the seat of the Captaincy of Rio de Janeiro, later, in 1763, it became the capital of the State of Brazil, a state of the Portuguese Empire. Rio stayed the capital of the pluricontinental Lusitanian monarchy until 1822 and this is one of the few instances in history that the capital of a colonising country officially shifted to a city in one of its colonies. Rio de Janeiro has the second largest municipal GDP in the country, the home of many universities and institutes, it is the second-largest center of research and development in Brazil, accounting for 17% of national scientific output according to 2005 data. The Maracanã Stadium held the finals of the 1950 and 2014 FIFA World Cups, the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, the city is divided into 33 administrative regions. Europeans first encountered Guanabara Bay on 1 January 1502, by a Portuguese expedition under explorer Gaspar de Lemos captain of a ship in Pedro Álvares Cabrals fleet, allegedly the Florentine explorer Amerigo Vespucci participated as observer at the invitation of King Manuel I in the same expedition. The region of Rio was inhabited by the Tupi, Puri, Botocudo, in 1555, one of the islands of Guanabara Bay, now called Villegagnon Island, was occupied by 500 French colonists under the French admiral Nicolas Durand de Villegaignon. Consequently, Villegagnon built Fort Coligny on the island when attempting to establish the France Antarctique colony, Rio de Janeiro was the name of Guanabara Bay. Until early in the 18th century, the city was threatened or invaded by several, mostly French, pirates and buccaneers, such as Jean-François Duclerc, on 27 January 1763, the colonial administration in Portuguese America was moved from Salvador to Rio de Janeiro. The kingdoms capital was transferred to the city, which, thus, as there was no physical space or urban structure to accommodate hundreds of noblemen who arrived suddenly, many inhabitants were simply evicted from their homes. The first printed newspaper in Brazil, the Gazeta do Rio de Janeiro, from the colonial period until the first independent decades, Rio de Janeiro was a city of slaves. There was an influx of African slaves to Rio de Janeiro, in 1819. In 1840, the number of slaves reached 220,000 people, the Port of Rio de Janeiro was the largest port of slaves in America. As a political center of the country, Rio concentrated the political-partisan life of the Empire and it was the main stage of the abolitionist and republican movements in the last half of the 19th century. Rio continued as the capital of Brazil after 1889, when the monarchy was replaced by a republic, until the early years of the 20th century, the city was largely limited to the neighbourhood now known as the historic city centre, on the mouth of Guanabara Bay. Expansion of the city to the north and south was facilitated by the consolidation and electrification of Rios streetcar transit system after 1905, though many thought that it was just campaign rhetoric, Kubitschek managed to have Brasília built, at great cost, by 1960
2.
Fluminense FC
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The club is based in the Laranjeiras neighbourhood of Rio de Janeiro. Fluminense play their games at the Estádio Giulite Coutinho, which currently holds up to 13,544 spectators. Cox was elected as the clubs first president, Fluminense has been state champions on 31 occasions, second only to Flamengo with 33. The team has national champions four times, most recently in 2012. Fluminense is a demonym for people who reside in the State of Rio de Janeiro, although football is the clubs original endeavor, the club is today an umbrella organization for several teams in more than 16 different sport activities. Fluminenses home kit is dark red-and-green vertical striped shirts, with white shorts, accompanied by white socks, Fluminense holds many long-standing rivalries, most notably against Flamengo, as well as with Botafogo and Vasco da Gama. It has contributed the fifth-most players to Brazils national football team, Fluminense Football Club was founded on July 21,1902 in Rio de Janeiro by Oscar Cox, a Brazilian of English heritage, in the then aristocratic neighborhood of Laranjeiras. Fluminense was formed by sons of the elite who had come into contact with football while studying in Europe, the first official match was played against now defunct Rio FC, and Fluminense won 8–0. The clubs first title came in 1906, when Fluminense won the Campeonato Carioca, in 1911, disagreement between Fluminense players led to the formation of Flamengos football team. The so-called Fla-Flu derby is considered one of the biggest in the history of Brazilian football, three years later, in Fluminenses stadium, the Brazilian national football team debuted, against touring English club Exeter City. It was also there that won their first title, in 1919. By 1924, Fluminense had 4,000 members, a stadium for 25,000 people, in an unfortunate event in 1914, Carlos Alberto, a mulatto playing for Fluminense, decided to cover himself in face powder to disguise the color of his skin. This ultimately led to one of the nicknames, pó de arroz. The following years saw an expansion of the hegemony in Rio. Fluminense would remain unsurpassed in terms of state championships until 2009, international acclaim came in 1949 with the awarding of the Olympic Cup, and was further fostered in 1952 with Fluminenses first intercontinental honor, the Copa Rio. The club established itself regionally with victory in two Torneio Rio-São Paulo cups in 1957 and 1960, national honors followed in 1970,1984,2010 and 2012 with Taça de Prata and Série A cups, respectively. Also taking the Cup in Brazil in 2007, from the 1960s, the first national championships began to be played in Brazil. Fluminenses first national title came in 1970, at time, Brazil had the best players in world football
3.
Santos FC
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Santos Futebol Clube, commonly known as Santos or Peixe, is a Brazilian professional football club based in Vila Belmiro, a bairro in the city of Santos. Despite being primarily a club, Santos compete in a number of different sports, including American football, surfing. It plays in the Paulistão, the State of São Paulos premier state league, as well as the Brasileirão, Santos are one of the only four clubs to have never been relegated, along with São Paulo, Flamengo and Cruzeiro. Since then, Santos became one of Brazils most successful clubs, becoming a symbol of Jogo Bonito in football culture, the most recognized Santista anthem is the Leão do Mar written by Mangeri Neto. Os Santásticos, considered by some the best club team of all times, won a total of 24 titles during that decade including five consecutive Brasileirões, a feat that remains unequaled until today. Os Santásticos also became the first squad in the world to win the Continental Treble, winning the Paulistão, the Brasileirão, Santos is the most successful club in the Brasileirão, becoming national champions on eight occasions, a record they share with Palmeiras. On January 20,1998, Santos became the first team, in any category in the world, to reach the milestone of 10,000 goals in the history of football. The Peixe play their games at the Vila Belmiro, which currently holds up to 20,120 spectators. Santos regular kit is white shirts, with white shorts, accompanied by white socks, Santos holds many long-standing rivalries, most notably against São Paulo, Palmeiras and Corinthians. It has contributed many key and famous players towards Brazils FIFA World Cup squads, including world champions out of its 45 contributors. In 2013, the club is the 2nd most valuable club in Brazil and Latin America, in terms of revenue, Santos is Brazils 4th richest sports club and one of the biggest football clubs in the world, generating an annual turnover of over $114 million in 2012. In the beginning of the 20th century, the city of Santos grew to become of importance to Brazil. Its port became one of the largest in the world with coffee, with the influx of income, the wealthy socialites of the city became increasingly interested in having the city represented in sports. Football was introduced to Santos in 1902 via the Instituto Presbiteriano Mackenzie, however, Atlético Internacional dissolved in 1910 and Americano moved to São Paulo in 1911. With the city students dissatisfied at this turn of events, a meeting was held at the headquarters of the Concordia Club, with the aim of creating a football team. The conference, which lasted 14 hours, was spearheaded by three sportsmen from the city, Raymundo Marques Francisco, Mário Ferraz de Campos and Argemiro de Souza Junior, during the meeting, there was doubt as to the name that should be given to the club. Several suggestions emerged, África Futebol Clube, Associação Esportiva Brasil, Concórdia Futebol Clube, but the participants unanimously approved the proposal of Edmundo Jorge de Araujo, Santos Foot-Ball Club. Thus, the club was born on April 14,1912
4.
Clube de Regatas do Flamengo
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Clube de Regatas do Flamengo, commonly referred to as Flamengo, is a Brazilian sports club based in Rio de Janeiro. The club was established in 1895, although it did not play its first official game until 1912 and its traditional playing colors are red and black hooped shirts with white shorts and red and black hooped socks. The team achieved the most prestigious accolade in South American football when they defeated Cobreloa 2–0 in the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo to become champions of South America and they subsequently became known as the Geração de Ouro, or the Golden Generation. That same year, Flamengo became world champions after defeating Liverpool 3–0 in Tokyo. Flamengo is the most popular team in Brazil, with over 39.1 million supporters as of 2010, the club has long-standing rivalries with nearby neighbors Fluminense, Botafogo and Vasco da Gama. There is also a rivalry with Atlético Mineiro. Flamengo was founded on 17 November 1895 as a club by José Agostinho Pereira da Cunha, Mário Spindola, Nestor de Barros, Augusto Lopes, José Félix da Cunha Meneses. The group used to gather at Café Lamas, in the Flamengo neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, Rowing was the elite sport in Rio de Janeiro in the late 19th century. The young men hoped that forming a club would make them popular with the young ladies of the citys high society. They could only afford a used boat named Pherusa, which had to be rebuilt before it could be used in competition. The team debuted on October 6,1895 when they sailed off the Caju Point, from the Maria Angu beach, however, strong winds turned over the boat and the rowers nearly drowned. They were rescued by a boat named Leal. Afterwards, as the Pherusa was undergoing repairs, the boat was stolen, the group then had to save up money to buy a new boat, the Etoile, renamed Scyra. On the night of 17 November, the group, gathered at Nestor de Barross manor on Flamengo beach, founded the Flamengo Rowing Group and elected its first board, the name was changed a few weeks later to Clube de Regatas do Flamengo. The founders also decided that the anniversary of the foundation should be celebrated on 15 November, so as to coincide with the Day of the Republic. Flamengo only embraced football when a group of dissatisfied players from Fluminense Football Club broke away from that club following a dispute with its board, the players decided to join Flamengo because Borgerth, the teams captain, was also a rower for Flamengo. Admittance of the new members was approved on 8 November 1911, a motion against the club taking part in football tournaments was defeated, and the members assembly officially created the football team on 24 December,1911. The new team used to train on Russel beach, and gradually gained the support of the locals, the first official match was played on 3 May 1912 and is, to this day, the most spectacular victory of the club, as the team defeated Mangueira 16-2
5.
Brazil national football team
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The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international mens association football. Brazil is administered by the Brazilian Football Confederation, the body for football in Brazil. They have been a member of the FIFA since 1923 and member of the CONMEBOL since 1916, Brazil is the most successful national football team in the FIFA World Cup with five championships,1958,1962,1970,1994 and 2002. Brazil is the national team to have played in all World Cup editions without any absence nor need for playoffs. The seleção is also the most successful team in the FIFA Confederations Cup with four titles,1997,2005,2009 and 2013. They have also won their continental championship. Brazil is the national team to have won the World Cup on four different continents, once in Europe, once in South America, twice in North America. They also share with Spain a record of 35 consecutive international matches undefeated, a common quip about football is, Os ingleses o inventaram, os brasileiros o aperfeiçoaram. Brazil won 2–0 with goals by Oswaldo Gomes and Osman, though it is claimed that the match was a 3–3 draw, in contrast to its future success, the national teams early appearances were not brilliant. Other early matches played during that time include several friendly games against Argentina, Chile, however, led by the goalscoring abilities of Arthur Friedenreich, they were victorious at home in the South American Championships in 1919, repeating their victory, also at home, in 1922. In 1930, Brazil played in the first World Cup, held in Uruguay in 1930, the squad defeated Bolivia but lost to Yugoslavia, being eliminated from the competition. They lost in the first round to Spain in 1934 in Italy, Brazil were the only South American team to participate in this competition. After being victorious in a third South American Championship in 1949 Brazil first achieved prominence when it hosted the 1950 FIFA World Cup. The team went into the last game of the round, against Uruguay at Estádio do Maracanã in Rio. Uruguay, however, won the match and the Cup in a known as the Maracanazo. The match led to a period of national mourning, Brazil reached the quarter-final, where they were beaten 4–2 by tournament favourites Hungary in one of the ugliest matches in football history, known as the Battle of Berne. For the 1958 World Cup, Brazil were drawn in a group with England and they beat Austria 3–0 in their first match, then drew 0–0 with England. Before the match, coach Vicente Feola made three substitutions that were crucial for Brazil to defeat the Soviets, Zito, Garrincha and Pelé
6.
Sport Club Corinthians Paulista
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Sport Club Corinthians Paulista is a Brazilian multi-sport club based in Tatuapé, São Paulo. Although they compete in a number of different sports, Corinthians is mostly known for its association football team. In 2000 the club won the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup as the host nations representative, the clubs home kit traditionally features white shirts and black shorts, accompanied by white socks, since 1920. Their traditional crest was introduced in 1939, by modernist painter Francisco Rebolo featuring the São Paulo state flag in a shield and they hold many long-standing rivalries, most notably against Palmeiras and São Paulo. In 1910 the football in Brazil was an elitist sport, the top clubs were formed by people who were part of the upper classes. Among them were Club Athletico Paulistano, São Paulo Athletic Club, lower-class society excluded from larger clubs founded their own minnow clubs and only played floodplain football. It was August 31,1910 when these workers were watching a match featuring a London-based club touring Brazil, after the match, while the group returned home, The men spoke of partnerships, business ideas, and general dreams of grandeur. In the mind of each one surfaced a great idea, the foundation of a club, after several exchanges in a lively argument, the arguments led to the conclusion that they would meet the next day to make a dream into reality. In anticipation of heavy rains, the agreed to meet after sundown in public sight. That night at 8, 30pm, on Rua José Paulino (Rua dos Imigrantes, underneath the glow of an oil lamp the five workers reunited alongside their guest and neighbors from Bom Retiro. That night the club was founded, alongside its board of directors, on September 14, Luis Fabi scored Corinthians first goal against Estrela Polar, another amateur club in the city, and Corinthians won their first game 2–0. Just one year after joining the league, Corinthians was crowned champion for the first time, and were again two years later. There were many fly-by-night teams popping up in São Paulo at the time, the year of 1922, the Centennial of Brazilian Independence, marks the start of Corinthians hegemony in the São Paulo State Championship. As football was almost exclusively played at Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo by that time, after defeating the Rio de Janeiro State Championship champion of that year, América, Corinthians joined the company of the great teams in Brazil. The same year marked the first of three State Championships in a row, something that happened again in 1928–30 and 1937–39. Corinthians seemed destined to win State Championships in threes, after six years without being a champions, the 1940s were a more difficult time, and the club would win a championship in 1941 and would only win their next in 1951. At the beginning of the 1950s Corinthians made history in the São Paulo Championship. In 1951, the composed of Carbone, Cláudio, Luisinho, Baltasar and Mário scored 103 goals in thirty matches of the São Paulo Championship
7.
C.F. Monterrey
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Club de Fútbol Monterrey is a Mexican football club from Monterrey, Nuevo León. Founded on 28 June 1945, it is the oldest active team in the division from the northern part of Mexico. Club de Fútbol Monterrey was founded on the 28th of June 1945, near the end of World War II by a group of businessmen headed by Ramón Cárdenas Coronado, Enrique Ayala Medina. Probert, Rogelio Cantú Gómez and Miguel Margáín Zozaya, the teams nickname was popularly accepted, after the teams uniform, which is traditionally white with navy blue vertical stripes. Although the original uniform was white with a blue upper shoulder, the stripes were inspired in 1965, when the Tampico Madero football team wore them. Since, the uniform consists of vertical blue and white striped jerseys with blue shorts. In its first professional game, played 19 August 1945 against San Sebastián de León, Monterrey won 1–0, due to these events, the club decided to stop playing in the league in 1946 in honor to the players who died. It was not until 1952 when the club resumed action thanks to Dr. Carlos Canseco, the club enrolled in the second division and just 4 years later the club earned a promotion to the top division. The club would again earn the promotion in the 1959–60 tournament which they have held to date. The club started off the 1960s in bad shape just avoiding relegation with 3 more points than Club Celaya, the club finished the 1960–61 tournament with a record of 7 wins 7 draws 12 losses for a total of 21 points. In the 1961–62 tournament the club was close to relegation finishing 2nd last for the second year in a row just ahead of Zacatepec. The club had a record of 7 wins 5 draws and 15 losses for a total of 19 points and that years record was 8 wins 12 draws and only 6 losses for a total of 28 points. In the 1963–64 tournament the club would finish 3rd in the league just 5 points behind club Guadalajara who would have a league best 37 points and that year record was 12 wins 8 draws 6 losses for a total of 32 points. In the 1964–65 tournament the club would again finish 3rd in the league this time just 3 points behind club Guadalajara who won its second consecutive league title with 40 points. This years record was 17 wins 3 draws and 10 losses for a total of 37 points, in the 1965–66 tournament the club finished tied for 4th in the league with Club Atlante with 33 points. This year is also remember for Club Nuevo León promotion to the first division having for the first time 2 clubs from Monterrey participating in the first division and this year record was 13 wins 7 draws and 10 losses for a total of 33 points. In the 1966–67 tournament the club back into mediocrity finishing tied for 8th in the league with Irapuato with 30 points each. This year record was 10 wins, draws and losses for a total of 30 points, in the 1967–68 tournament the club continue its descent finishing tied for 14 in the league with CD Oro
8.
Club Tijuana
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Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente, commonly referred to as Xolos de Tijuana, or simply as Xolos, is a Mexican professional football club from Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Founded in January 2007, the club was promoted to Liga MX in 2011 and they won their first title in the 2012 Apertura. The club is the latest in a line of league teams in the city of Tijuana. Gallos Caliente was instituted in the summer of 2006, the teams name was later changed to Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente. Team owner Jorge Hank Rhon announced the construction of the Estadio Caliente, Jorge Alberto Hank, the 28-year-old son of Jorge Hank Rhon, is the President of the team. They became the Apertura 2012 champions after defeating Toluca 4–2 in a two-legged series, the team advanced to the Primera División de México with a win at home over Irapuato, 2–1 on May 21,2011. The team obtained its first title in the Apertura 2010 tournament, after having finished as leader during the regular tournament. In the semi-finals the Xolos faced Albinegros de Orizaba, in both semifinal legs, the Xolos and Albinegros finished 0–0, with the aggregate score 0–0 too. The position that the Xolos had during the regular tournament permitted them to pass to the final against the Tiburones Rojos de Veracruz, the final of the Clausura 2011 of the Liga de Ascenso was between Tijuana and Irapuato. The first leg was played on Wednesday May 11 in Tijuanas stadium, the second leg played was in Irapuato, in the Estadio Sergio León Chavez. Irapuato won the game 1–0, being crowned champion of the Clausura 2011 afterwards, with the Tijuana having won the Apertura 2010 title, the Promotion Final was going to be, yet again, Tijuana vs Irapuato. Played in Tijuanas Estadio Caliente, the second leg saw the Club Tijuana being crowned champion of the Promotion Final with a result of 2–1, thus Tijuana replaced the Necaxa as the new Primera Division Team in Mexico. Tijuana opened the 2011–12 season with a 2–1 home loss to Morelia, american Joe Corona scored the clubs first top-flight goal in the defeat. After having finished the 2011 Apertura with just three wins against nine draws and five losses, Tijuana would have success in the 2012 Clasura. Behind the leagues top defense, Tijuana finished with seven wins, Xolos would continue their strong defense in the 2012–13 Liga MX season. In the 2012 Apertura, Xolos allowed joint-fewest goals with 15 while finishing tied atop the table with Toluca, seeded #2 in the play-offs, they would avenge the previous seasons defeat to Monterrey before ralling from a 2–0 deficit against León in the semi-finals. They would win the Liguilla over Toluca with a 4–1 aggregrate victory, Xolos would falter in the Clausura, finishing in 10th place, two points outside of Liguilla qualification. However, invited to Copa Libertadores, Tijuana would make a run to the quarter-finals before falling to Atlético Mineiro
9.
Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas
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Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas, also known as Botafogo and familiarly as A Estrela Solitária, is a Brazilian sports club based in Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro. Although they compete in a number of different sports, Botafogo is mostly known for its football team. It plays in the Campeonato Carioca, the state of Rio de Janeiros premier state league and it was appointed by FIFA to the group of the biggest clubs in the twentieth century. The club is responsible for the greatest victory ever recorded in Brazilian football. On July 1,1894, Club de Regatas Botafogo was founded, on August 12,1904, another club was founded in the neighbourhood, the Electro Club, the name first given to the Botafogo Football Club. The idea came during a lesson at Alfredo Gomes College. Lets establish another one, in Largo dos Leões, what do you think and we can speak to the Wernecks, to Arthur César, Vicente and Jacques. And so the Electro Club was founded, after a suggestion from Dona Chiquitota, Flávios grandmother, the club finally became the Botafogo Football Club, on September 18 of the same year. Just like Juventus FC, the team of Itamar Tavares, one of the clubs founders, and the badge, drawn by Basílio Vianna Jr. in Swiss style with the BFC monogram. The Botafogo Football Club would soon become one of the strongest football teams in Rio de Janeiro, winning the championships of 1907,1910,1912, the same name, the same location, the same colours and the most important thing, the same supporters. It seemed that the destiny of both clubs was to become one, and so it happened, on December 8,1942 they finally merged. It was after a match between both clubs, when Botafogo Football Club player Armando Albano died suddenly, that the idea began to become truth. At the tragic occasion, the president of Club de Regatas Botafogo, Augusto Frederico Schmidt spoke, At this time and we wont play no longer the time left on the clock. We all want the young fighter to leave this night as a winner. This is how we salute him, eduardo Góis Trindade, Botafogo Football Clubs president said, Between the matches of our clubs, only one can be the winner, Botafogo. And then Schmidt declared the fusion, What else do we need to our clubs become one, and so they did, Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas finally became true. The Football Clubs badge became black, and the monogram substituted by Clube de Regatas lone star, the team won the Campeonato Carioca in 1907,1910 and 1912. In 1909 the team beat Mangueira 24–0, which remains the highest score in Brazilian football and they won further state titles in 1930,1932,1933,1934 and 1935
10.
Azerbaijan national football team
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The Azerbaijan national football team is the national football team of Azerbaijan and is controlled by Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan. It represents Azerbaijan in international football competitions, the majority of Azerbaijans home matches are held at the national stadium, Baku National Stadium, with friendly matches sometimes hosted at club stadiums. In the early century, football began to become popular in Azerbaijan. In 1912, Azerbaijani football players had their first international match and they won in Tbilisi, during 1912–1913, matches between Azerbaijani and Georgian football teams were organized, first in Tbilisi and then in Baku. In 1914 the Football Union was founded in Azerbaijan, the Football Union undertook the organization of official city championships and other competitions. The oldest records of teams in Soviet Azerbaijan goes back to 1926–1927. Three South Caucasian countries participated, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia, the Azerbaijan national football team held its first friendly matches against Georgia and Armenia in 1927 for the Trans-Caucasian Championship in Georgia. Also in 1926 footbal players from Azerbaijan played three matches with Football team from Iran in Baku, in 1929 there were played three matches between these teams in Tehran. In all matches Azerbaijan players won, after Azerbaijan gained its independence in 1991, AFFA — Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan — was created. In 1994, the team was accepted into FIFA and UEFA. The security issues, forced the team to all of its home Euro 96 qualifiers in Trabzon. As of the early 2000s, AFFA started to more players to the national team through FIFAs eligibility rules. In February 2004, Carlos Alberto Torres, captain of the Brazil team that won the 1970 FIFA World Cup was appointed its national coach. Despite a poor start, a 0–6 defeat to Israel on February 18, Azerbaijan won their first ever away match, 3–2 against Kazakhstan on April 28. In June 2005, following a 3–0 defeat by Poland, Torres stood down from the position, to be replaced by former Neftchi coach Vagif Sadygov, shahin Diniyev took over as manager in November 2005. He resigned on 31 October 2007, and Gjoko Hadzievski was named as care-taking coach of Azerbaijan, in April 2008, former German football player and coach Berti Vogts was appointed as a manager of Azerbaijan on a two-year contract. Azerbaijan had a qualifying campaign, finishing with 5 points. In November 2009, AFFA extended Berti Vogts contract a further two years, making him the first manager to manage Azerbaijani national team in two qualification cycles
11.
Association football
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Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball. It is played by 250 million players in over 200 countries and dependencies making it the worlds most popular sport, the game is played on a rectangular field with a goal at each end. The object of the game is to score by getting the ball into the opposing goal, players are not allowed to touch the ball with their hands or arms while it is in play, unless they are goalkeepers. Other players mainly use their feet to strike or pass the ball, the team that scores the most goals by the end of the match wins. If the score is level at the end of the game, the Laws of the Game were originally codified in England by The Football Association in 1863. Association football is governed internationally by the International Federation of Association Football, the first written reference to the inflated ball used in the game was in the mid-14th century, Þe heued fro þe body went, Als it were a foteballe. The Online Etymology Dictionary states that the word soccer was split off in 1863, according to Partha Mazumdar, the term soccer originated in England, first appearing in the 1880s as an Oxford -er abbreviation of the word association. Within the English-speaking world, association football is now usually called football in the United Kingdom and mainly soccer in Canada and the United States. People in Australia, Ireland, South Africa and New Zealand use either or both terms, although national associations in Australia and New Zealand now primarily use football for the formal name. According to FIFA, the Chinese competitive game cuju is the earliest form of football for which there is scientific evidence, cuju players could use any part of the body apart from hands and the intent was kicking a ball through an opening into a net. It was remarkably similar to football, though similarities to rugby occurred. During the Han Dynasty, cuju games were standardised and rules were established, phaininda and episkyros were Greek ball games. An image of an episkyros player depicted in low relief on a vase at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens appears on the UEFA European Championship Cup, athenaeus, writing in 228 AD, referenced the Roman ball game harpastum. Phaininda, episkyros and harpastum were played involving hands and violence and they all appear to have resembled rugby football, wrestling and volleyball more than what is recognizable as modern football. As with pre-codified mob football, the antecedent of all football codes. Non-competitive games included kemari in Japan, chuk-guk in Korea and woggabaliri in Australia, Association football in itself does not have a classical history. Notwithstanding any similarities to other games played around the world FIFA have recognised that no historical connection exists with any game played in antiquity outside Europe. The modern rules of football are based on the mid-19th century efforts to standardise the widely varying forms of football played in the public schools of England
12.
1970 FIFA World Cup
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The 1970 FIFA World Cup was the ninth FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football championship for mens national teams. Held from 31 May to 21 June in Mexico, it was the first World Cup tournament staged in North America, Teams representing 75 nations from all six populated continents entered the competition, and its qualification rounds began in May 1968. Fourteen teams qualified from this process to join host nation Mexico, El Salvador, Israel, and Morocco made their first appearances at the final stage, and Peru their first since 1930. The tournament was won by Brazil, which defeated another former champion, Italy. The win gave Brazil its third World Cup title, which allowed them to keep the Jules Rimet Trophy. The victorious team, led by Carlos Alberto and featuring players such as Pelé, Gérson, Jairzinho, Rivellino and they achieved a perfect record of wins in all six games in the finals, as well as winning all their qualifying fixtures. The World Cup returned to Mexico just sixteen years later in 1986, Argentina, Australia, Colombia, Japan, Mexico and Peru were all considered to host the 1970 FIFA World Cup. Mexico was chosen as the host nation in 1964 through a vote at FIFAs congress in Tokyo on 8 October, a total of 75 teams entered the 1970 FIFA World Cup, and 73 were required to qualify. Due to rejected entries and withdrawals,68 teams eventually participated in the qualifying stages, Mexico as the host nation and England as reigning World Cup champions were granted automatic qualification, with the remaining fourteen finals places divided among the continental confederations. Eight places were available to teams from UEFA, three for CONMEBOL, one for CAF, one for an AFC/OFC team, and one for CONCACAF. The draw for the stages was conducted on 1 February 1968 in Casablanca, Morocco, with matches beginning in May 1968. North Korea, quarter-finalists at the tournament, were disqualified during the process after refusing to play in Israel for political reasons. El Salvador qualified for the finals after beating Honduras in a play-off match and those who failed to qualify included Argentina, France, Hungary, Portugal and Spain. Five stadia in five different cities were selected to host the World Cup matches, alternative venues in Hidalgo state and the port city of Veracruz were also considered. Each group was based solely in one city with exception of Group 2, aside from the Estadio Luis Dosal, all the stadia had only been constructed during the 1960s, as Mexico prepared to host both the World Cup and the 1968 Summer Olympics. The altitude of the varied and the importance of acclimatisation was strongly considered by all the participating teams. As a result, in contrast to the tournament staged in England. Some teams had already experienced the conditions when competing in the football competition at 1968 Summer Olympics
