Football Started in Greece

A relief exhibited at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, Greece shows an ancient Greek youth practicing by balancing a football on his thigh in front of a small boy. One can say that the man seems to be showing his son how to control the ball like an ancient Greek Lionel Messi. This means that football, albeit in a primitive form, is at least 2,400 years old and very likely has its origins in ancient Greece.

According to archaeologists, the depiction of the figure playing with the ball dates back to the third quarter of the 4th century BC (400-375 BC).

Football in Ancient Greece was called Episkyros

Episkyros was a football game played in ancient Greece between two teams of usually twelve to fourteen players each with one ball; the rules of the game at that time allowed the use of hands. Unlike modern football, Episkyros allowed full contact between players, making it a relatively violent sport.

Episkyros was particularly popular in Sparta, where it was often played as part of the Spartan youth’s military training. It is considered one of the most important ancient Greek sports and has had a significant influence on the development of modern football.

https://greekreporter.com/2024/10/19/football-ancient-greece/