As parents we see lots of “Football” Clubs that play soccer in the US. It seems that most soccer clubs in the US have been moving forward with “Football” or “FC” in their name and you have to wonder when soccer became a bad word… If you’ve ever been on the sidelines of a youth game and heard someone scoff at the word “soccer” — maybe saying, “It’s football everywhere else in the world” — you’re not alone. In fact, many parents and players don’t realize that soccer has a rich and legitimate history that’s worth sharing with your kids. It is ok to call is Soccer. Let’s take a look at where the word actually comes from, and why it’s not just “an American thing.”
It All Starts in England
Believe it or not, soccer is originally a British word. That’s right — the very people who now call it “football” once popularized the word soccer themselves.
Back in the 1800s, multiple versions of “football” were being played in England, each with slightly different rules. To bring order to the chaos, various universities — including Oxford — began defining distinct codes for the game. Two of the most prominent versions were:
Rugby Football (which would become modern-day rugby)
Association Football (the version of the game most of us now simply call “soccer” or “football”)
To distinguish between the two, students at Oxford started using slang. Rugby football became “rugger” and association football became “assoccer,” which was later shortened to soccer. It was a catchy nickname that stuck — especially with English speakers outside of the U.K. On a side note, here is a great, albeit long, history of soccer:
The Ball is Round: A Global History of Soccer by David Goldblatt.
From England to America
In the early 20th century, both rugby and association football had made their way to the United States, but Americans were also creating their own gridiron game — which evolved into what we now call American football.
To avoid confusion between these different “footballs,” Americans kept using the term soccer for association football. It made perfect sense. In fact, for many years, people in England used both “soccer” and “football” interchangeably. The shift toward exclusively saying “football” in the U.K. didn’t really solidify until the later part of the 20th century — after soccer had already taken hold in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and other places.
Why It Still Matters Today
Understanding the word soccer isn’t just trivia — it’s a lesson in how language, culture, and sport evolve together. It also reminds us that no version of the game is more “authentic” just because of the word someone uses. Whether your child plays “football” in Spain or “soccer” in Ohio, it’s the same beautiful game — a global language of teamwork, creativity, and passion.
So the next time someone says “soccer isn’t the real name,” you can smile, nod, and gently share the backstory. Because as any modern soccer parent knows, good sport starts with good knowledge.
Bonus Tip: Talk to Your Player
Ask your child why they think it’s called “soccer.” You might be surprised by their answer — and it’s a fun way to spark curiosity about the history and culture of the sport they love.
