SOCCER

1. SOCCER By Alec Logeman

2. Early versions of the game first started about 3000 years ago. One of the earliest forms started in Japan in 1004 B.C. where players kicked a ball on a small field There is Chinese text from 50 B.C. that shows a game very similar to soccer. They kicked a hair-filled leather ball for their games. The Romans played a game similar to modern soccer in their Olympics, with 27 men on each side. Soccer moved on to England, but there were laws against it because people played so violently. Then the game became an official sport in England because it was so popular, and in the 1800’s the first set of rules formed from college sport programs, and then Soccer took off and became what it is today. History

3. Two teams of 11 people try to kick a round ball into the other teams goal. A regular match is 90 minutes long divided into two halves of 45 min. each. No one can use their hands except for the goalkeeper. The Game

4. USA Soccer • Major League Soccer has 16 teams split into the East and West divisions. • Every year they play for the MLS Cup • It started in 1996, so it is relatively new.

5. Famous Players Pele • Pele - considered the best player ever, from Brazil, he broke hundreds of records in his 15 year career. • Ronaldo – a great player in today’s soccer, he is from Brazil but plays on English teams • David Beckham – one of the best and most known players in the U.S. • Wayne Rooney –From England one of the best forwards in the game right now. • Hugo Sanchez – considered the most important person in Mexican Soccer history. Ronaldo Wayne Hugo Sanchez David

6. The World Cup is the most watched soccer tournament in the world, obviously. 32 countries from all over will compete in this event that takes place every 4 years. This years world cup is in South Africa World Cup

7. Pictures