The game dates back to 2500 BC during a time when the Greeks, Egyptians, and Chinese all played a game primarily using their feet. During those games, the players could use their hands and feet to control a ball. Soccer made its emergence into modern Europe in the 9th century. One of the earliest types of balls …show more content…
Some, however, continue to play professionally. There are many professional leagues in the world. The biggest league in the United States is the Major League Soccer (MLS). The MLS consists of 20 teams competing for the MLS Cup and a direct berth to the CONCACAF Champions League, a continental tournament (mlssoccer.com). Europe has many different leagues with many teams. The most notable European tournament is the UEFA Champions League. This tournament consists of the greatest teams in Europe. There are three qualifying rounds, a play-off round, a group stage, and four knockout rounds. The biggest soccer tournament in the world is the World Cup. The world Cup occurs every four years in a different country every time. The countries bid to host the World Cup in their country. There are many different rounds to this tournament as well. The World Cup is unlike the MLS and UEFA Champions League in that it is not club based, but country based. Players play for their home countries, which makes it more competitive due to the fact that they are participating against fellow teammates from their respective