SOCCER Not much is known about the origin of soccer. However, the Greeks and Romans played football and ball-kicking games. The London Football Association developed the first sets of rules in 1863. British sailors and settlers brought the game to India, South America, and Europe. During the late 19th century, soccer was brought to the United States. However, it did not prove popular until after World War I. In 1908, soccer was made an Olympic event. Since 1952, Hungary has won the most gold medals with three. Although it is an international game, it has been slow to gain popularity as an intercollegiate sport. It is, however, gaining popularity and is being included in physical education programs in many schools. Also, many local communities have started youth soccer leagues for children of all ages. The game of soccer or association football is properly called, is Europe's most popular sport. Just about every country in the world plays soccer in some form or another. It is both physically and mentally demanding, requiring athletic skill and quick thinking. There are many tales about how soccer began. Many civilizations claim that they discovered the sport. There are records of soccer-like games played in China, Greece, Japan, and Mexico more than 2,000 years ago. Also, The Federation International de Football Association (FIFA) was formed in 1904 as an international governing body. Today, FIFA, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, has more than one hundred-forty member nations and overseas about thirty-nine million worldwide players. France, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Denmark, and Sweden were the founding fathers of FIFA. In 1905 Germany, Austria, and England joined the organization. At this time, there was a discussion of the first World Cup. In soccer, many rules have changed. Back in the 1700's the playing field was shaped like a square. There were only four major markings on the field. They were the touchlines, goal l...