Football is a team sport played with an oval ball by two opposing teams of 11 players on a field. The objective of the game is to score points by kicking the ball into the opponent’s end zone. Throughout the history of football, there have been many great players. But who is the best of all time? It is an incredibly subjective task to rank the greatest players of all time, and many people will disagree with the rankings. However, the following 10 players are undoubtedly amongst the best to ever play the game.
The earliest reference to the game of football dates from 1314 when Nicholas de Farndone, Lord Mayor of London, issued a ban on games of football due to their causing “great noise and uproar in the streets”. This was the first of over 30 banning orders to be issued.
In pre-industrialized England a game of football was usually a mob game of village against village that lacked any written rules and could take place anywhere in the country, from fields, roads, hedges, fences and streams. It was a highly popular and physical game, often played through the streets and across fields, with any type of ball used. It was also a very social activity and was enjoyed by dignitaries and noblemen, including Oliver Cromwell, Walter Scott and several kings.
During the nineteenth century, industrialization brought greater wealth to some parts of the world which allowed for the growth of organised sports and leagues. This lead to the creation of football teams and, eventually, professional players. At the beginning public schools had their own teams which were dominated by their best students but as the game developed teams were composed of players from various backgrounds and some began to pay top players to join their team.
Modern football has many different skills that must be mastered by the players. The most important of these is a player’s ability to pass the ball quickly and accurately. This requires good technique and practice. Other essential skills include the ability to run fast with the ball and to tackle opponents.
It is a very dangerous sport, and a serious injury can have lifelong consequences. However, the rules of football are designed to minimise the risks as much as possible. Players must be fully aware of the dangers and should wear appropriate protective equipment to minimise the risk of injury.
It is not uncommon for players to be hurt in a football match, but there are rules that prevent injuries from being too serious. The most common injuries are knee ligament damage, broken bones and abrasions. In the case of severe injuries, players are removed from the field and taken to hospital. A player may not return to a game until fully recovered. This can be weeks or even months after the injury. This can affect the player’s career and financial future. It can also cause psychological trauma for the player and their family.