The Game That Would be King: The Uncharted History of Soccer 800 1800 AD

This guide takes the reader on a journey through history, tracing the origins of soccer from its humble beginning to an established sport beloved worldwide. It is a story that spans five thousand years, from ancient Egypt to MesoAmerica, from the Greek Empire to Chinese Dynasties, and from the Roman Empire to medieval Britain.

From the Middle Ages onwards, Britain and Ireland unfurl their lineage, from the lesser-known trapball and stoolball to the lamentably extinct camping and knappan. All...