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Kirk Bowman

Kirk Bowman

The Conversation

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The ‘soccer’ vs. ‘football’ war has a 160-year history — and your snobbish friends are wrong about which one is right

“Association Football” was coined in 1863 to distinguish the game from rugby. Soccer was widely used until the British press got amnesia in the 1980s.

friday 4

Fortune

Kirk bowman

‘Soccer’ is a fine term for the beautiful game – don’t let any ‘football’ snob or president tell you otherwise this World Cup

‘Soccer’ is a fine term for the beautiful game – don’t let any ‘football’ snob or president tell you otherwise this World Cup

‘Soccer’ originated as a slang term in the 1880s and continues to be used around the world today. So why are some people squeamish about the term?

04.06.2026 5

The Conversation

Kirk bowman