The National Football League – What it is and How it Came to Be
Association football, also known as just football, is a contact sport played between two teams of eleven players each. It is played professionally by more than 250 million players across 200 countries and dominions, making it the most popular professional sport in the world. The game is predominantly played between clubs and often between various nations, although international tournaments may also be held. The official name for this sport is “football” and is usually referred to as “futebol”. In Brazil and in many other South American countries, this is known as “feijoada”.
The first matches of football were played between groups of people who gathered together from their villages or towns and threw a wooden sphere at each other. The ball was made out of reed, grass, animal sinew or yarn. These materials were held together with “loofah”, an ointment of plantain root, and were struck against each other using their feet, creating the first kick-ball. This game gradually became known as “football” and “futebol” throughout Europe and Asia.
The game has evolved over the years and is now played between teams of eleven players each who have their own football boots. Each team playing in an association football game wears different colored shorts, while the helmets used by the referee are colored black, red or yellow. Professional and college football in America evolved from Association football and the National Football League in Europe are based entirely on Professional Football. There are two teams playing in international competitions; one team plays against another in a round robin format while the other team takes their place in a semi-final table.
As previously mentioned, football is played internationally, with teams from Europe, America, Australia and Asia meeting at the FIFA (Federation of International Football Associations) World Cup tournaments. Each team representing their country takes their turn at the world cup and the winner takes all the points available, with the highest scoring team taking all the tournament points. Every four years during the tournament, a different country gets to have their football team to challenge the others to represent their countries in the championship. The United States was the last country to win the cup, back in 1994. Now it is the most popular event in the sport’s history and they play in the world’s biggest and most prestigious event every four years.
In North America, the game is mainly played between the American football league and the Canadian Football League. A lot of fans in the US don’t even know that the two leagues are separate entities and that they play different football games. Many fans in the US would love to see their favorite American or Canadian team to win the football championship but this isn’t allowed so the CPL is the fan base’s choice for the annual North American playoffs. So why the two leagues?
Well, the two leagues are mostly there for the same reason; to promote interest in the game played by teams in the US and Canada. Rugby football in Canada has only had very limited success as compared to the NFL, but the CPL has exploded onto the scene and has become the powerhouse it is today because of its unique marketing strategy. They attract huge crowds, sponsor big time, and broadcast the games to an international audience that surpasses the numbers that watch football in the US and Canada. This is a huge attraction for potential college student or high school football players who want to follow their favorite team and play in the National Football League. So, if you’re looking for a way to get into the National Football League with less competition, look into the Canadian Football League.