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7. Why do Americans call football soccer?

The answer is in the language! In the 19th-century, the term football was used to describe three distinct sports: English football, which is the most popular today in the rest of the world, American football with its touchdowns and quarterbacks, and rugby football. At the time, there were no clear rules, and all three sports definitely involved feet and balls. Over time, the sports gained independent rules along with their own representative associations. English football earned the name football association. Later, in the US, the name was shorted to simply soccer. Meanwhile, American football retained its name.

Football Player Runs With Ball John Giustina / Getty Images

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