Soccer’s roots go back to ancient China , with similar ball games also played in ancient Greece and Rome, but the modern game took shape in 19th- century England. It was first called “Association Football,” and the word “soccer” came from that name as a slang shortening in England.

Quick scoop

  • Ancient versions of the game existed in China, Greece, and Rome, but they were not the same as today’s sport.
  • The modern rules were standardized in England in 1863 when the Football Association was formed.
  • “Soccer” originally came from “Association Football,” while “football” became the more common term in most of the world.

In plain terms

If you mean the earliest roots , the answer is ancient China and other early civilizations. If you mean where modern soccer was created, the answer is England.

TL;DR

Soccer began as ancient ball games, but the version we know today was shaped in England and first called Association Football.