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English football has a long history. A history that goes back for almost a millennium. The first forms of English football were played across fields of varying sizes. Although the sport was popular with the peasantry, the ruling class did not like it. The sport came into its own at a time when Archery was considered to be important for the defense of many medieval lords. The nobility would make laws banning the game of football and mandating at least an hour of archery practice every day. Some of these laws are still on the books in England. It is unlikely that the laws are enforced.

The game did eventually develop into a more modern form. The rules became set. The size of the field stopped varying. Organizations that ensure competitive play came into being. By the end of the 19th century, the era we recognize as belonging to Queen Victoria and the fictional Sherlock Holmes, European football has more or less become the game that Americans would call ‘soccer.’ There were a few differences that led to the creation of rugby. A notable difference was that early rugby players favored a defense that involved kicking opposing players in the shins. This rule was eventually dropped from rugby, but it is what caused the two games to develop in different directions.