The term “soccer” is actually derived from the full name of the sport, which is “association football.” The word “soccer” originated in England in the mid-19th century as a way to distinguish it from another popular sport called rugby football.
At that time, different variations of football were played, and each had its own set of rules. The sport we know as soccer today was commonly referred to as “association football” to differentiate it from other forms of football. The word “soccer” itself comes from the shortening of “assoc” (from “association”) with the addition of “-er” as a colloquial way of forming a nickname. So, “assoc-er” eventually became “soccer.”
Association football (soccer). Photo credit: Rdikeman (Source: Wikipedia)
The term “soccer” gained traction in England and was widely used until the mid-20th century. However, in most parts of the world, including Europe, South America, and other regions, the sport is referred to as “football” or a variation of it. The term “soccer” gradually fell out of favor in Britain and was replaced by “football.”
In the United States, another popular sport called American football emerged, which involved carrying the ball and had different rules from association football. To avoid confusion between the two sports, Americans continued to use the term “soccer” to refer specifically to what the rest of the world knows as football. It helped distinguish between American football and the sport played predominantly with the feet.
American football. Photo credit: Torsten Bolten (Source: Wikipedia)
So, in summary, Americans call association football “soccer” to differentiate it from American football and to avoid confusion between the two sports. The term has its roots in the early days of the sport’s development and the need for distinguishing it from other variations of football.
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