Soccer was a popular and successful sport in the US up until the 1930s. However a series of disputes between rival leagues and FIFA (called the Soccer Wars) , and the onset of the Great Depression led to a massive decline in the popularity of the sport.
soccer
In 1954, in Italy, a soccer match…
In 1954, in Italy, a soccer match (Fiorentina vs Pistoiese) was suspended because multiple unidentified flying objects were spoted above the stadium and the whole city of Firenze. After a while a white sticky substance started falling from the sky. What happened is still a mistery.
In the 1938 World Cup, Brazil were so…
In the 1938 World Cup, Brazil were so sure of winning the semi-final against Italy that they requisitioned the only plane to Paris on the day after the match. After losing to Italy, they refused to sell them the tickets, and the Italian team had to travel from Marseilles to Paris by train.
A top-level Dutch football club signed…
A top-level Dutch football club signed up an 18-month old for a ten year contract, after his father posted a video of the boy kicking a ball into his toy chest 3 times in a row. After scribbling his signature for the club, the toddler celebrated with a glass of orange juice
The Disgrace of Gijón, a football…
The Disgrace of Gijón, a football (soccer) match between West Germany and Austria, was so bad, that the German TV Commentator refused to comment the game at one point, the Austrian TV commentator asked people to change the channel, and Spain’s newspaper printed the match in their crimes section.
A maximum-security prison…
A maximum-security prison in Uganda has a soccer league (run and played by prisoners), with an annual soccer tournament. The tournament is taken very seriously; they have a uniforms, referees, cleats, and a 30-page constitution. The winning team gets prizes such as soap, sugar, and a goat.
The iconic black-and-white soccer…
The iconic black-and-white soccer ball design was popularized by the Adidas Telstar, which adopted the design to be visible on black and white television screens. It was named after the AT&T Telstar, the first satellite to transmit television images and telephone calls through space. Its creator, an amateur soccer player, came up with the idea while he was working in the leather industry for financial support.
The Miwok (N California) played…
Photo by Flickr
The Miwok (North California) played a game similar to soccer. Played by both sexes, girls were allowed to do anything, including kicking the ball & picking it up & running with it, while boys were only allowed to use their feet, but if a girl was holding the ball he could pick her up and carry her.
Uruguay’s world cup player…
Uruguay’s world cup player Luis Suárez has bitten three opponents under high pressure situations. He doesn’t know why he does it.
Japanese football fans always…
Japanese football fans always clean up their stadium after their World Cup Finals games, a tradition stemming back to the 1998 World Cup