Football (or soccer, if you're from the land of hot dogs and hamburgers) has been around longer than your favorite TikTok trend. Ancient civilizations—like China, Greece, and even the Mayans—were kicking balls toward things because, well, what else were they gonna do? Fast forward to 1863 in England, where schools were playing some version of football, but it was like a free-for-all. The Football Association (FA) stepped in and said, "Let’s make some rules," and thus, boom, soccer was officially a thing.

The first international match? Scotland vs. England in 1872. The only thing more intense than that was their post-match tea debate. Then in 1904, FIFA was born, and suddenly everyone cared about a ball being kicked around. The World Cup debuted in 1930, and by then, it was clear: football had become a global obsession.

In the U.S., soccer was brought over by European immigrants, but honestly, Americans were too busy watching baseball, football, and the occasional giant hot dog race. Still, in 1913, the U.S. Soccer Federation joined FIFA, though soccer was always the underdog (pun intended).

Fast forward to today, and soccer in the U.S. is growing faster than a toddler on espresso.

Now, football is the world’s number one sport. Who knew kicking a ball could be the key to world domination? You go, football!