Football Stories - History of Football - The Beautiful Game: Origins (2013)

Part 01: Beginning the series in great style, episode one looks at the origins of the game. It looks at the various possible beginnings from many different nations including China, Mexico, Japan and Italy. Many countries lay claim to being the inventors of the sport and many can prove very early forms, some of these are still re-enacted to this day. These can be seen in Florence where men literally beat each other in an attempt to score a goal and also in Scotland where the entire village is involved trying to move a ball to a certain place. This episode also looks at the creation of the first professional league, know as the Football Association in England, regarded by many as the true origin of the game as it is played today.