Uncovering the Fascinating Background History of Soccer: Origins and Evolution
Let me take you on a journey through time, back to when soccer wasn't even called soccer, when the beautiful game was just beginning to take shape in muddy fields and ancient civilizations. As I sit here preparing to watch the MPBL games at Paco Arena this coming Monday—where Pangasinan faces Marikina at 4 p.m., followed by GenSan versus Muntinlupa at 6 p.m., and Manila taking on Ilagan Isabela at 8 p.m.—I can't help but reflect on how far organized sports have come. The energy in modern stadiums, the passionate fans, the structured leagues—all these elements have roots stretching back centuries, to soccer's humble beginnings.
The earliest forms of soccer date back over 2,000 years to ancient China, where a game called "cuju" involved kicking a leather ball through a small opening. I've always found it fascinating how similar yet different these ancient games were. While modern soccer has standardized rules, ancient versions varied wildly across cultures—from the Roman "harpastum" to the Greek "episkyros." What strikes me most is how these games served similar social purposes: building community, testing physical prowess, and providing entertainment. When I look at today's MPBL basketball games with their intense rivalries and community pride, I see the same fundamental human needs being met, just through different sports. The evolution wasn't linear though; medieval Europe saw chaotic, violent versions of football played between villages with unlimited players and few rules. Frankly, I'm glad we've moved beyond those days—I prefer my sports with more structure and fewer broken bones.
The real transformation began in 19th century England, where public schools started formalizing the rules. This is where my personal admiration for the sport's organizers really kicks in. The Cambridge Rules of 1848 represented a pivotal moment, creating the foundation for modern soccer. What many people don't realize is that rugby and soccer originally branched from the same tree—it was the disagreement over whether players should be allowed to carry the ball that ultimately separated them in 1863. I've always been team soccer on this debate; there's something uniquely beautiful about a sport that primarily uses feet rather than hands. The formation of the Football Association in England marked the true birth of modern soccer, and within just twenty years, the game had spread across Europe and to South America. The speed of this expansion still amazes me—from informal school games to international phenomenon in less than a generation.
As soccer globalized, its evolution accelerated. The first international match occurred in 1872 between Scotland and England, drawing approximately 4,000 spectators—a modest crowd by today's standards but revolutionary for its time. The establishment of FIFA in 1904 marked another milestone, with seven founding nations initially governing the sport. Now we have 211 member associations, which shows just how exponentially the game has grown. Personally, I find the World Cup's origin story particularly compelling—the first tournament in 1930 had only 13 teams, compared to today's 32 (soon to be 48). Watching modern tournaments with their global audiences of billions, I often think about those early pioneers who probably never imagined their sport would become this massive.
The professionalization of soccer created ripple effects across all sports. When I look at the MPBL schedule with its triple-header games at Paco Arena, I see how soccer's league structure influenced basketball and other sports worldwide. The English Football League, established in 1888, set the template for professional sports leagues globally. The economic impact has been staggering—today's global soccer industry is worth approximately $30 billion annually, though if we're being honest, precise numbers are hard to pin down since different reports suggest anywhere between $28-35 billion. What's undeniable is the cultural footprint: soccer has become embedded in national identities, from Brazil's jogo bonito to Italy's catenaccio. I've always had a soft spot for how different cultures interpret the same basic game—it's like watching the same recipe cooked with local ingredients.
Technology's role in soccer's evolution cannot be overstated. From the introduction of referees' whistles in 1878 to VAR today, each innovation has changed the game. I remember watching games before goal-line technology and arguing with friends about whether the ball crossed the line—now we have millimeter-precise answers. The broadcasting revolution beginning in the 1930s transformed soccer from a local pastime to global spectacle. Today's digital streaming means I can watch Premier League games from Manila while checking MPBL scores on my phone—something that would have seemed like science fiction to earlier generations of sports fans.
Women's soccer deserves special mention in this historical journey. The first recorded women's match occurred in 1895, though the women's game faced decades of suppression before its recent renaissance. I'm particularly excited about how women's soccer has grown—the 2019 Women's World Cup final attracted over 260 million viewers worldwide, proving the game's universal appeal transcends gender. Having attended both men's and women's matches, I can confidently say the passion and skill level in modern women's soccer matches anything I've seen in men's games.
As I wrap up this historical exploration, I'm reminded that tomorrow's MPBL games at Paco Arena represent just the latest chapter in humanity's enduring love affair with organized sports. From ancient Chinese cuju players to modern professional athletes, the thread connecting them is our shared need for competition, community, and spectacle. Soccer's journey—from village greens to global stadiums—mirrors our own social evolution. The game will continue changing, no doubt, with new technologies and formats emerging, but its core appeal will remain. After all, whether it's 4th century BC China or 21st century Manila, people will always gather to watch a ball being kicked, thrown, or dribbled toward a goal—that much never changes.
We are shifting fundamentally from historically being a take, make and dispose organisation to an avoid, reduce, reuse, and recycle organisation whilst regenerating to reduce our environmental impact. We see significant potential in this space for our operations and for our industry, not only to reduce waste and improve resource use efficiency, but to transform our view of the finite resources in our care.
Looking to the Future
By 2022, we will establish a pilot for circularity at our Goonoo feedlot that builds on our current initiatives in water, manure and local sourcing. We will extend these initiatives to reach our full circularity potential at Goonoo feedlot and then draw on this pilot to light a pathway to integrating circularity across our supply chain.
The quality of our product and ongoing health of our business is intrinsically linked to healthy and functioning ecosystems. We recognise our potential to play our part in reversing the decline in biodiversity, building soil health and protecting key ecosystems in our care. This theme extends on the core initiatives and practices already embedded in our business including our sustainable stocking strategy and our long-standing best practice Rangelands Management program, to a more a holistic approach to our landscape.
We are the custodians of a significant natural asset that extends across 6.4 million hectares in some of the most remote parts of Australia. Building a strong foundation of condition assessment will be fundamental to mapping out a successful pathway to improving the health of the landscape and to drive growth in the value of our Natural Capital.
Our Commitment
We will work with Accounting for Nature to develop a scientifically robust and certifiable framework to measure and report on the condition of natural capital, including biodiversity, across AACo’s assets by 2023. We will apply that framework to baseline priority assets by 2024.
Looking to the Future
By 2030 we will improve landscape and soil health by increasing the percentage of our estate achieving greater than 50% persistent groundcover with regional targets of:
– Savannah and Tropics – 90% of land achieving >50% cover
– Sub-tropics – 80% of land achieving >50% perennial cover
– Grasslands – 80% of land achieving >50% cover
– Desert country – 60% of land achieving >50% cover
