Key facts
- The term 'soccer' originated in 1863 from 'Association Football' as slang created by British university students.
- The term 'soccer' was used in Britain for nearly a century.
- British fans began abandoning 'soccer' in the 1980s, partly in response to its use in the U.S.
- The British press continues to use 'soccer' and 'football' interchangeably.
- The author argues that disparaging the word 'soccer' is incorrect and ignores the sport's linguistic roots.
The debate over whether to call the sport 'soccer' or 'football' has a history spanning 160 years. The term 'soccer' originated in 1863 from 'Association Football,' coined to differentiate it from rugby football. British university students created slang by shortening words and adding '-er,' leading to 'soccer' from 'assoc.' This term was widely and proudly used in Britain for nearly a century. However, by the 1980s, British fans began to abandon the word, partly as a reaction to its increasing use in the United States and other countries with established codes of football. The author, Kirk Bowman, a scholar of the sport, argues that disparaging the word 'soccer' is incorrect and ignores the sport's linguistic roots. He suggests that the football ecosystem should embrace the term, noting its utility in British media for avoiding repetition and creating headlines. The continued success of publications like 'World Soccer' and programs like 'Soccer AM' in Britain demonstrates the term's enduring legacy. Bowman emphasizes that language evolves and that fans globally understand various terms for the game, such as 'calcio,' 'futebol,' and 'fútbol,' enriching the conversation and illustrating the sport's globalization.