The term “soccer” is used primarily in the United States, Canada, and a few other countries to refer to what most of the world knows as football. This divergence in terminology can be intriguing, and it has historical roots.
Origins of the Term “Soccer”
The word “soccer” derives from an abbreviation of the sport’s formal name, “association football.” To understand this, we must go back to 19th-century England. During that time, two primary forms of football were played: Rugby football and Association football.
To differentiate between the two, English players began referring to Association football informally as “Assoc football.” This was eventually shortened and became “soccer,” with “soc” derived from “assoc.” This type of word formation was common in British slang; for instance, Rugby football was often called “rugger.”
Adoption in the United States
The term “soccer” was imported to the United States and was widely adopted to distinguish it from American football, which is a different sport entirely. In the U.S., when someone mentions “football,” they generally mean American football, which involves different rules, equipment, and gameplay compared to Association football.
The adoption of “soccer” helped to avoid confusion between the two sports. Hence, Americans continue to use “soccer” to this day, while “football” commonly refers to the gridiron sport popular in high schools, colleges, and professional leagues like the NFL (National Football League).
The British Evolution
Interestingly, the British themselves used the term “soccer” quite frequently until around the 1970s. Over time, however, the broader global usage of “football” to denote the sport of soccer gained traction, and the British largely reverted to calling it “football.” The United Kingdom’s distancing from the term “soccer” may have been influenced by an emerging sense of national pride and a desire to align the terminology with that of the rest of the world where “football” was already the established term.
Global Standard vs. Local Variants
Worldwide, “football” is the standard term for the sport, recognized by global governing bodies like the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), and almost all countries’ football associations. This terminology is used in major international competitions such as the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League, and domestic leagues around the world.
However, regional terms like “soccer” continue to thrive in areas where different versions of football are more prominently played, such as in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In these countries, differentiating between the sports aids clarity in conversation and media.
Conclusion
Calling the sport “soccer” in certain countries is not a random or recent trend but a historical development rooted in the need for clarity and differentiation. Both terms, “soccer” and “football,” are correct within their respective cultural and linguistic contexts. Therefore, whether you call it soccer or football, the love for the sport remains the same worldwide.