Football had spread across Europe by the early 20th century, but it lacked an international organization. Representatives of the football associations of Belgium, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland formed the Fédération International de Football Association (FIFA) in 1904.Even though football is one of the most popular sports, whether you play competitively or just for fun, it helps you keep fit and provides the health benefits of other aerobic activities as well as strengthening exercises.
It is a popular sport for both kids and adults and can be played in a team or just casually in the garden or local park. The sport of association football, also called soccer or football, is played by 250 million people in over 200 countries and dependencies, making it the most popular sport in the ggbet.world.
When played frequently, football can be hard on your joints as compared to other non-weight-bearing activities like swimming or cycling. If you experience any ongoing pain during or after playing football, or if you are unsure that football is the right sport for you, seek medical advice.
The benefits of playing football include lowering your risk of chronic illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Football counts towards your recommended amount of aerobic activity. By playing it frequently, you should notice an increase in your endurance as well as your cardiovascular health.
In addition to increasing stamina, improving cardiovascular health, reducing body fat, increasing muscle tone and strength, and improving coordination, running, walking, sprinting and kicking can also increase bone strength and improve coordination.
The regular practice of sports can also reduce symptoms of depression and stress, increase confidence and self-esteem, and reduce anxiety.
Table of Contents
Health Benefits of Football
- Improving blood pressure and heart health
- Inactive individuals can increase their muscle mass and bone strength
- Weight loss by reducing body fat
- Strengthening, sustaining, and increasing speed
- Strengthen your brain, concentration, and coordination
- Boost confidence, socialize, building team spirit
Finest Football Players
Football’s finest players and greatest icons remain the brilliant individualists: the gifted midfield playmakers, the dazzling wingers, or the second forwards linking the midfield to the principal attacker. Some leading postwar exponents have included Pelé, Rivaldo, and Ronaldo (Brazil), Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi (Argentina), Roberto Baggio and Francesco Totti (Italy), Michel Platini and Zinedine Zidane (France), George Best (Northern Ireland), Stanley Matthews and Paul Gascoigne (England), Ryan Giggs (Wales), Luis Figo, Eusébio, and Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), and Jim Baxter and Derek Johnstone (Scotland).
FIFA men’s World Cup winners
Winners of the FIFA men’s World Cup are provided in the table.
| year | result | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Won after extra time (AET). | ||||
| **Won on penalty kicks. | ||||
| 1930 | Uruguay | 4 | Argentina | 2 |
| 1934 | Italy* | 2 | Czechoslovakia | 1 |
| 1938 | Italy | 4 | Hungary | 2 |
| 1950 | Uruguay | 2 | Brazil | 1 |
| 1954 | West Germany | 3 | Hungary | 2 |
| 1958 | Brazil | 5 | Sweden | 2 |
| 1962 | Brazil | 3 | Czechoslovakia | 1 |
| 1966 | England* | 4 | West Germany | 2 |
| 1970 | Brazil | 4 | Italy | 1 |
| 1974 | West Germany | 2 | Netherlands | 1 |
| 1978 | Argentina* | 3 | Netherlands | 1 |
| 1982 | Italy | 3 | West Germany | 1 |
| 1986 | Argentina | 3 | West Germany | 2 |
| 1990 | West Germany | 1 | Argentina | 0 |
| 1994 | Brazil** | 0 | Italy | 0 |
| 1998 | France | 3 | Brazil | 0 |
| 2002 | Brazil | 2 | Germany | 0 |
| 2006 | Italy** | 1 | France | 1 |
| 2010 | Spain* | 1 | Netherlands | 0 |
| 2014 | Germany* | 1 | Argentina | 0 |
| 2018 | France | 4 | Croatia | 2 |
FIFA women’s World Cup winners
Winners of the FIFA women’s World Cup are provided in the table.
| year | result | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Won on penalty kicks. | ||||
| 1991 | United States | 2 | Norway | 1 |
| 1995 | Norway | 2 | Germany | 0 |
| 1999 | United States* | 0 | China | 0 |
| 2003 | Germany | 2 | Sweden | 1 |
| 2007 | Germany | 2 | Brazil | 0 |
| 2011 | Japan* | 2 | United States | 2 |
| 2015 | United States | 5 | Japan | 2 |
| 2019 | United States | 2 | Netherlands | 0 |
UEFA Champions League winners
Winners of the UEFA Champions League are provided in the table.
| season | winner (country) | runner-up (country) | score |
|---|---|---|---|
| *Known as the European Cup from 1955–56 to 1991–92. | |||
| **Final replayed after the first match ended in a 1–1 draw. | |||
| ***Won in a penalty kick shoot-out. | |||
| 1955–56 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Stade de Reims (France) | 4–3 |
| 1956–57 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Fiorentina (Italy) | 2–0 |
| 1957–58 | Real Madrid (Spain) | AC Milan (Italy) | 3–2 (OT) |
| 1958–59 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Stade de Reims (France) | 2–0 |
| 1959–60 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Eintracht Frankfurt (W.Ger.) | 7–3 |
| 1960–61 | Benfica (Port.) | FC Barcelona (Spain) | 3–2 |
| 1961–62 | Benfica (Port.) | Real Madrid (Spain) | 5–3 |
| 1962–63 | AC Milan (Italy) | Benfica (Port.) | 2–1 |
| 1963–64 | Inter Milan (Italy) | Real Madrid (Spain) | 3–1 |
| 1964–65 | Inter Milan (Italy) | Benfica (Port.) | 1–0 |
| 1965–66 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Partizan Belgrade (Yugos.) | 2–1 |
| 1966–67 | Celtic (Scot.) | Inter Milan (Italy) | 2–1 |
| 1967–68 | Manchester United (Eng.) | Benfica (Port.) | 4–1 (OT) |
| 1968–69 | AC Milan (Italy) | Ajax (Neth.) | 4–1 |
| 1969–70 | Feyenoord (Neth.) | Celtic (Scot.) | 2–1 (OT) |
| 1970–71 | Ajax (Neth.) | Panathinaikos (Greece) | 2–0 |
| 1971–72 | Ajax (Neth.) | Inter Milan (Italy) | 2–0 |
| 1972–73 | Ajax (Neth.) | Juventus (Italy) | 1–0 |
| 1973–74 | Bayern Munich (W.Ger.) | Atlético Madrid (Spain) | 4–0** |
| 1974–75 | Bayern Munich (W.Ger.) | Leeds United (Eng.) | 2–0 |
| 1975–76 | Bayern Munich (W.Ger.) | AS Saint-Étienne (France) | 1–0 |
| 1976–77 | Liverpool FC (Eng.) | Borussia Mönchengladbach (W.Ger.) | 3–1 |
| 1977–78 | Liverpool FC (Eng.) | Club Brugge (Belg.) | 1–0 |
| 1978–79 | Nottingham Forest (Eng.) | Malmö FF (Swed.) | 1–0 |
| 1979–80 | Nottingham Forest (Eng.) | Hamburg SV (W.Ger.) | 1–0 |
| 1980–81 | Liverpool FC (Eng.) | Real Madrid (Spain) | 1–0 |
| 1981–82 | Aston Villa (Eng.) | Bayern Munich (W.Ger.) | 1–0 |
| 1982–83 | Hamburg SV (W.Ger.) | Juventus (Italy) | 1–0 |
| 1983–84 | Liverpool FC (Eng.) | AS Roma (Italy) | 1–1*** |
| 1984–85 | Juventus (Italy) | Liverpool FC (Eng.) | 1–0 |
| 1985–86 | Steaua Bucharest (Rom.) | FC Barcelona (Spain) | 0–0*** |
| 1986–87 | FC Porto (Port.) | Bayern Munich (W.Ger.) | 2–1 |
| 1987–88 | PSV Eindhoven (Neth.) | Benfica (Port.) | 0–0*** |
| 1988–89 | AC Milan (Italy) | Steaua Bucharest (Rom.) | 4–0 |
| 1989–90 | AC Milan (Italy) | Benfica (Port.) | 1–0 |
| 1990–91 | Red Star Belgrade (Yugos.) | Olympique de Marseille (France) | 0–0*** |
| 1991–92 | FC Barcelona (Spain) | Sampdoria (Italy) | 1–0 (OT) |
| 1992–93 | Olympique de Marseille (France) | AC Milan (Italy) | 1–0 |
| 1993–94 | AC Milan (Italy) | FC Barcelona (Spain) | 4–0 |
| 1994–95 | Ajax (Neth.) | AC Milan (Italy) | 1–0 |
| 1995–96 | Juventus (Italy) | Ajax (Neth.) | 1–1*** |
| 1996–97 | Borussia Dortmund (Ger.) | Juventus (Italy) | 3–1 |
| 1997–98 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Juventus (Italy) | 1–0 |
| 1998–99 | Manchester United (Eng.) | Bayern Munich (Ger.) | 2–1 |
| 1999–2000 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Valencia CF (Spain) | 3–0 |
| 2000–01 | Bayern Munich (Ger.) | Valencia CF (Spain) | 1–1*** |
| 2001–02 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Bayer Leverkusen (Ger.) | 2–1 |
| 2002–03 | AC Milan (Italy) | Juventus (Italy) | 0–0*** |
| 2003–04 | FC Porto (Port.) | AS Monaco (France) | 3–0 |
| 2004–05 | Liverpool FC (Eng.) | AC Milan (Italy) | 3–3*** |
| 2005–06 | FC Barcelona (Spain) | Arsenal (Eng.) | 2–1 |
| 2006–07 | AC Milan (Italy) | Liverpool FC (Eng.) | 2–1 |
| 2007–08 | Manchester United (Eng.) | Chelsea FC (Eng.) | 1–1*** |
| 2008–09 | FC Barcelona (Spain) | Manchester United (Eng.) | 2–0 |
| 2009–10 | Inter Milan (Italy) | Bayern Munich (Ger.) | 2–0 |
| 2010–11 | FC Barcelona (Spain) | Manchester United (Eng.) | 3–1 |
| 2011–12 | Chelsea FC (Eng.) | Bayern Munich (Ger.) | 1–1*** |
| 2012–13 | Bayern Munich (Ger.) | Borussia Dortmund (Ger.) | 2–1 |
| 2013–14 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Atlético Madrid (Spain) | 4–1 (OT) |
| 2014–15 | FC Barcelona (Spain) | Juventus (Italy) | 3–1 |
| 2015–16 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Atlético Madrid (Spain) | 1–1*** |
| 2016–17 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Juventus (Italy) | 4–1 |
| 2017–18 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Liverpool FC (Eng.) | 3–1 |
| 2018–19 | Liverpool FC (Eng.) | Tottenham Hotspur (Eng.) | 2–0 |
| 2019–20 | Bayern Munich (Ger.) | Paris Saint-Germain (France) | 1–0 |
UEFA Europa League winners
Winners of the UEFA Europa League are provided in the table.
| season | winner (country) | runner-up (country) | scores |
|---|---|---|---|
| *UEFA Cup until 2009–10. | |||
| **Won in a penalty kick shoot-out. | |||
| 1971–72 | Tottenham Hotspur (Eng.) | Wolverhampton Wanderers (Eng.) | 2–1, 1–1 |
| 1972–73 | Liverpool FC (Eng.) | Borussia Mönchengladbach (W.Ger.) | 3–0, 0–2 |
| 1973–74 | Feyenoord (Neth.) | Tottenham Hotspur (Eng.) | 2–2, 2–0 |
| 1974–75 | Borussia Mönchengladbach (W.Ger.) | FC Twente (Neth.) | 0–0, 5–1 |
| 1975–76 | Liverpool FC (Eng.) | Club Brugge (Belg.) | 3–2, 1–1 |
| 1976–77 | Juventus (Italy) | Athletic Club Bilbao (Spain) | 1–0, 1–2 |
| 1977–78 | PSV Eindhoven (Neth.) | SC Bastia (France) | 0–0, 3–0 |
| 1978–79 | Borussia Mönchengladbach (W.Ger.) | Red Star Belgrade (Yugos.) | 1–1, 1–0 |
| 1979–80 | Eintracht Frankfurt (W.Ger.) | Borussia Mönchengladbach (W.Ger.) | 2–3, 1–0 |
| 1980–81 | Ipswich Town (Eng.) | AZ Alkmaar (Neth.) | 3–0, 2–4 |
| 1981–82 | IFK Göteborg (Swed.) | Hamburg SV (W.Ger.) | 1–0, 3–0 |
| 1982–83 | RSC Anderlecht (Belg.) | Benfica (Port.) | 1–0, 1–1 |
| 1983–84 | Tottenham Hotspur (Eng.) | RSC Anderlecht (Belg.) | 1–1, 1–1 (4–3**) |
| 1984–85 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Videoton (Hung.) | 3–0, 0–1 |
| 1985–86 | Real Madrid (Spain) | FC Cologne (W.Ger.) | 5–1, 0–2 |
| 1986–87 | IFK Göteborg (Swed.) | Dundee United (Scot.) | 1–0, 1–1 |
| 1987–88 | Bayer Leverkusen (W.Ger.) | RCD Espanyol (Spain) | 0–3, 3–0 (3–2**) |
| 1988–89 | SSC Napoli (Italy) | VfB Stuttgart (W.Ger.) | 2–1, 3–3 |
| 1989–90 | Juventus (Italy) | Fiorentina (Italy) | 3–1, 0–0 |
| 1990–91 | Inter Milan (Italy) | AS Roma (Italy) | 2–0, 0–1 |
| 1991–92 | Ajax (Neth.) | Torino Calcio (Italy) | 2–2, 0–0 |
| 1992–93 | Juventus (Italy) | Borussia Dortmund (Ger.) | 3–1, 3–0 |
| 1993–94 | Inter Milan (Italy) | SV Austria Salzburg (Austria) | 1–0, 1–0 |
| 1994–95 | Parma AC (Italy) | Juventus (Italy) | 1–0, 1–1 |
| 1995–96 | Bayern Munich (Ger.) | FC Girondins de Bordeaux (France) | 2–0, 3–1 |
| 1996–97 | FC Schalke 04 (Ger.) | Inter Milan (Italy) | 1–0, 0–1 (4–1**) |
| 1997–98 | Inter Milan (Italy) | SS Lazio (Italy) | 3–0 |
| 1998–99 | Parma AC (Italy) | Olympique de Marseille (France) | 3–0 |
| 1999–2000 | Galatasaray SK (Tur.) | Arsenal (Eng.) | 0–0 (4–1**) |
| 2000–01 | Liverpool FC (Eng.) | Deportivo Alavés (Spain) | 5–4 |
| 2001–02 | Feyenoord (Neth.) | Borussia Dortmund (Ger.) | 3–2 |
| 2002–03 | FC Porto (Port.) | Celtic (Scot.) | 3–2 |
| 2003–04 | Valencia CF (Spain) | Olympique de Marseille (France) | 2–0 |
| 2004–05 | CSKA Moscow (Russia) | Sporting Clube de Portugal (Port.) | 3–1 |
| 2005–06 | Sevilla FC (Spain) | Middlesbrough FC (Eng.) | 4–0 |
| 2006–07 | Sevilla FC (Spain) | RCD Espanyol (Spain) | 2–2 (3–1**) |
| 2007–08 | FC Zenit St. Petersburg (Russia) | Rangers (Scot.) | 2–0 |
| 2008–09 | Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukr.) | Werder Bremen (Ger.) | 2–1 |
| 2009–10 | Atlético de Madrid (Spain) | Fulham FC (Eng.) | 2–1 |
| 2010–11 | FC Porto (Port.) | SC Braga (Port.) | 1–0 |
| 2011–12 | Atlético de Madrid (Spain) | Athletic Club Bilbao (Spain) | 3–0 |
| 2012–13 | Chelsea FC (Eng.) | Benfica (Port.) | 2–1 |
| 2013–14 | Sevilla FC (Spain) | Benfica (Port.) | 0–0 (4–2**) |
| 2014–15 | Sevilla FC (Spain) | Dnipro (Ukr.) | 3–2 |
| 2015–16 | Sevilla FC (Spain) | Liverpool FC (Eng.) | 3–1 |
| 2016–17 | Manchester United (Eng.) | Ajax (Neth.) | 2–0 |
| 2017–18 | Atlético de Madrid (Spain) | Olympique de Marseille (France) | 3–0 |
| 2018–19 | Chelsea FC (Eng.) | Arsenal (Eng.) | 4–1 |
Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup winners
Winners of the MLS Cup are provided in the table.
| year | winner | runner-up | score |
|---|---|---|---|
| *Won on penalty kicks. | |||
| 1996 | DC United | Los Angeles Galaxy | 3–2 (OT) |
| 1997 | DC United | Colorado Rapids | 2–1 |
| 1998 | Chicago Fire | DC United | 2–0 |
| 1999 | DC United | Los Angeles Galaxy | 2–0 |
| 2000 | Kansas City Wizards | Chicago Fire | 1–0 |
| 2001 | San Jose Earthquakes | Los Angeles Galaxy | 2–1 (OT) |
| 2002 | Los Angeles Galaxy | New England Revolution | 1–0 |
| 2003 | San Jose Earthquakes | Chicago Fire | 4–2 |
| 2004 | DC United | Kansas City Wizards | 3–2 |
| 2005 | Los Angeles Galaxy | New England Revolution | 1–0 (OT) |
| 2006 | Houston Dynamo | New England Revolution | 1–1* |
| 2007 | Houston Dynamo | New England Revolution | 2–1 |
| 2008 | Columbus Crew | New York Red Bulls | 3–1 |
| 2009 | Real Salt Lake | Los Angeles Galaxy | 1–1* |
| 2010 | Colorado Rapids | FC Dallas | 2–1 (OT) |
| 2011 | Los Angeles Galaxy | Houston Dynamo | 1–0 |
| 2012 | Los Angeles Galaxy | Houston Dynamo | 3–1 |
| 2013 | Sporting Kansas City | Real Salt Lake | 1–1* |
| 2014 | Los Angeles Galaxy | New England Revolution | 2–1 |
| 2015 | Portland Timbers | Columbus Crew | 2–1 |
| 2016 | Seattle Sounders | Toronto FC | 0–0* |
| 2017 | Toronto FC | Seattle Sounders | 2–0 |
| 2018 | Atlanta United | Portland Timbers | 2–0 |
| 2019 | Seattle Sounders | Toronto FC | 3–1 |
| 2020 | Columbus Crew | Seattle Sounders | 3–0 |
| 2021 | New York City FC | Portland Timbers | 1–1* |
