# Chapter 7: Geography & Culture

Football · Chapter 7: Geography & Culture · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/football/interesting-facts/chapter-7-geography-culture/)

Where football is played and how it shaped culture: FIFA's footprint, football's smallest nations, Africa, Asia and the Americas, the language of the game, songs and anthems, football on screen and in books, stands with stories and the museums that keep its treasures.

## 7.71 Football's Global Footprint

How far football's governing body reaches, where the game's roots and records live geographically, and the culture behind two famous national-team nicknames.

### Test 1: FIFA's reach, football geography and national-team culture

- FIFA's 211 members include territories like England, Scotland, Wales and Hong Kong that are not sovereign UN member states, more than the UN's 193 states. (Source: Cross-checked histories of FIFA/UN membership counts)
- FIFA cites cuju, a leather-ball kicking game documented from the Han dynasty period, as the earliest evidence of a game resembling football. (Source: Cross-checked histories of cuju's FIFA recognition)
- Opened in 1989, the Rungrado 1st of May Stadium holds around 114,000 following a 2014 renovation, making it the world's largest football stadium by capacity. (Source: Cross-checked histories of the Rungrado 1st of May Stadium)
- Estadio Hernando Siles in La Paz sits about 3,600 metres above sea level, which makes it one of the highest venues in international football. (Source: Cross-checked histories of Estadio Hernando Siles)
- The Dutch team wears orange and takes the nickname 'Oranje' from the House of Orange-Nassau, the royal family descended from William of Orange. (Source: Cross-checked histories of the Oranje nickname)
- With a population of about 335,000, Iceland beat Kosovo to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, comfortably the smallest nation ever to reach the tournament. (Source: Cross-checked reporting on Iceland's 2018 World Cup qualification)
- After Brazil's white kit was blamed for the 1950 World Cup final defeat, a 1953 newspaper contest produced the yellow shirt, nicknamed 'Canarinho' (little canary) for its colour. (Source: Cross-checked histories of Brazil's yellow jersey)
- FIFA's 211 members belong to one of six confederations: UEFA, CONMEBOL, CONCACAF, CAF, AFC and OFC. (Source: FIFA, inside.fifa.com/about-fifa/associations/news/statement-by-fifa-and-the-six-confederations)
- Dating from at least the late 15th century and formally codified in 1580, Calcio Storico Fiorentino is still played every June in Florence by teams from the city's four historic quarters. (Source: Cross-checked histories of Calcio Storico Fiorentino)
- San Marino beat Liechtenstein 1-0 on 5 September 2024 in the Nations League, their first competitive win: before it their competitive record was 171 defeats and five draws in 176 matches. (Source: Cross-checked reporting on San Marino's 2024 first competitive win)

## 7.72 Football's Smallest Nations

The Faroe Islands' first win, Gibraltar and Kosovo, the Other Final, American Samoa and Andorra.

### Test 1: Small football nations

- The European Championship qualifier was played in Landskrona, Sweden, because the islands had no grass pitch good enough. (Source: Faroese Football Association, '1990: Faroe Islands 1-0 Austria' (fsf.fo); UEFA)
- UEFA would not allow the match on the islands' artificial pitches. (Source: Faroese Football Association, '1990: Faroe Islands 1-0 Austria' (fsf.fo); UEFA)
- Its national team played its first official match against Slovakia that November. (Source: Gibraltar FA, 'UEFA membership 2013' (gibraltarfa.com); UEFA)
- Both votes came in May 2016. (Source: Football Federation of Kosovo (ffk-kosova.com); FIFA and UEFA congress decisions, May 2016)
- The two lowest-ranked sides in the world met on the day of the Yokohama final; Bhutan won 4-0. (Source: Bhutan Football Federation and the documentary 'The Other Final' (2003); FIFA)
- They won 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier, ten years after losing 31-0 to Australia. (Source: Football Federation American Samoa (ffas.as); FIFA, 2011 qualifier report)
- They won 1-0 in a World Cup qualifier. (Source: Federació Andorrana de Futbol (faf.ad); UEFA, Euro 2004 qualifying)
- 1990, 2002, 2004 and 2011. (Source: FIFA (inside.fifa.com) and UEFA (uefa.com) match records)
- 1990, 1996, 2013 and 2016. (Source: UEFA, 'Member associations' (uefa.com))
- Bhutan's national stadium stands in the valley of the Wang Chhu river. (Source: Bhutan Football Federation and the documentary 'The Other Final' (2003); FIFA)

## 7.73 Football in Africa

The Black Stars, Bafana Bafana, the vuvuzela, Olympic golds, Al Ahly and Egypt's three in a row.

### Test 1: African football

- The black star on Ghana's flag also comes from Garvey's Black Star Line. (Source: Ghana Football Association, 'Why the Black Stars?' (ghanafa.org))
- The women's team are known as Banyana Banyana, 'the girls'. (Source: South African Football Association, 'Bafana Bafana' (safa.net); FIFA 2010 World Cup reports)
- They are Les Éléphants; an elephant's head is also on the country's coat of arms. (Source: Fédération Ivoirienne de Football, 'Les Éléphants' (fif.ci))
- Nigeria beat Argentina 3-2 in the final in Athens, Georgia. (Source: Nigeria Football Federation (thenff.com); Olympics.com, Atlanta 1996 football final)
- Cameroon beat Spain on penalties in the final. (Source: Olympics.com, 'Sydney 2000 football final'; FECAFOOT)
- The Cairo club has won more CAF titles than any other. (Source: Al Ahly SC, 'African club of the century' (alahlyegypt.com); CAF)
- Egypt won in 2006, 2008 and 2010. (Source: Egyptian Football Association (efa.com.eg); CAF, Africa Cup of Nations records)
- 1957, 1996, 2000 and 2010. (Source: CAF (cafonline.com) and Olympics.com records)
- 2006, 2008 and 2010. (Source: Egyptian Football Association (efa.com.eg); CAF, Africa Cup of Nations records)
- Some broadcasters filtered out the drone. (Source: South African Football Association, 'Bafana Bafana' (safa.net); FIFA 2010 World Cup reports)

## 7.74 Football in Asia

The J.League, Zico at Kashima, the first Asian pro league, the ISL, Samurai Blue and Owairan's goal.

### Test 1: Asian football

- It began with ten clubs. (Source: Japan Football Association, 'The J.League's founding' (jfa.jp); J.League (jleague.co))
- He played for and later advised the club. (Source: Kashima Antlers, 'Zico' (antlers.co.jp))
- It was then called the Korean Super League. (Source: Korea Football Association and K League, 'History' (kleague.com))
- It brought in well-known foreign players in their thirties. (Source: Indian Super League, 'About' (indiansuperleague.com))
- The women's team are called Nadeshiko Japan. (Source: Japan Football Association, 'The J.League's founding' (jfa.jp); J.League (jleague.co))
- He ran from his own half; Saudi Arabia reached the last 16. (Source: Saudi Arabian Football Federation; FIFA, '1994: Owairan's goal against Belgium' (inside.fifa.com))
- They lost all three group matches. (Source: Japan Football Association, 'The J.League's founding' (jfa.jp); J.League (jleague.co))
- 1983, 1993, 2004 and 2014. (Source: AFC (the-afc.com), J.League and K League records)
- 1954, 1994, 1998 and 2002. (Source: AFC (the-afc.com), J.League and K League records)
- It is called Yatagarasu and is said to have guided an emperor. (Source: Japan Football Association, 'The J.League's founding' (jfa.jp); J.League (jleague.co))

## 7.75 Football in the Americas

MLS and the NASL, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada, the Reggae Boyz, Panama and the word 'soccer'.

### Test 1: Football in the Americas

- He scored for the San Jose Clash against DC United. (Source: Major League Soccer, 'The first MLS match, 1996' (mlssoccer.com))
- It folded after the 1984 season. (Source: U.S. Soccer, 'History of the NASL' (ussoccer.com))
- Iceland took the record in 2018. (Source: Trinidad and Tobago Football Association; FIFA 2006 World Cup reports)
- They lost all three matches in Mexico without scoring. (Source: Canada Soccer, '1986 World Cup' (canadasoccer.com))
- It was the first English-speaking Caribbean side at a World Cup. (Source: Jamaica Football Federation, '1998: the Reggae Boyz' (jff.com.jm))
- Felipe Baloy scored in a 6-1 defeat; fans celebrated as if they had won. (Source: FEPAFUT Panama; FIFA, 2018 World Cup match report England v Panama)
- DC won 3-2 after extra time in the rain at Foxborough. (Source: Major League Soccer, 'The first MLS match, 1996' (mlssoccer.com))
- 1968, 1986, 1996, 1998 and 2018. (Source: FIFA (inside.fifa.com), MLS and CONCACAF records)
- 1986, 1998, 2006 and 2018. (Source: FIFA (inside.fifa.com), MLS and CONCACAF records)
- 'Assoc' became 'soccer', to tell association football from rugger. (Source: Oxford English Dictionary, 'soccer' etymology; The FA)

## 7.76 The Language of Football

Hat-tricks, the beautiful game, the Socceroos, La Albiceleste, El Tri, Fergie time and 'olé'.

### Test 1: Football words and nicknames

- A bowler who took three wickets with three balls was given a hat in 1858. (Source: Marylebone Cricket Club, 'The origin of the hat-trick' (lords.org))
- He used it as the title of his 1977 autobiography. (Source: Pelé, 'My Life and the Beautiful Game' (1977); FIFA)
- It is also the name of the old Florentine game, calcio storico. (Source: Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster entries; The FA, 'Football terms')
- 'Albiceleste' means 'white and sky blue'. (Source: AFA, 'La Albiceleste' (afa.com.ar))
- The flag is green, white and red. (Source: Mexican Football Federation, 'El Tri' (miseleccion.mx))
- It was named after Sir Alex Ferguson, who was often seen pointing at his watch. (Source: Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster entries; The FA, 'Football terms')
- The crowd greets each pass as it would a matador's move. (Source: Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster entries; The FA, 'Football terms')
- Argentina in 1930, Australia in 1974, Japan in 1998 and Ghana in 2006. (Source: Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster entries; The FA, 'Football terms')
- Cricket in 1858, Oxford in the 1880s, Pelé's 1977 book and the 1990s. (Source: Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster entries; The FA, 'Football terms')
- The name took hold in the 1960s and 1970s; Australia first reached a World Cup in 1974. (Source: Football Australia, 'Why the Socceroos?' (footballaustralia.com.au))

## 7.77 Songs and Anthems

Zadok the Priest, Three Lions, Blue Moon, Bubbles, Seven Nation Army, World in Motion and Waka Waka.

### Test 1: Football songs

- Tony Britten adapted one of Handel's coronation anthems in 1992. (Source: UEFA, 'The Champions League anthem' (uefa.com))
- It was written by David Baddiel, Frank Skinner and the Lightning Seeds. (Source: The FA (englandfootball.com) and Scottish FA records of official team songs)
- The song was taken up in the late 1980s. (Source: Manchester City, 'Blue Moon' heritage pages (mancity.com))
- The song dates from 1918 and was taken up in the 1920s. (Source: West Ham United, 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles' (whufc.com))
- The riff by The White Stripes went on to Italy's 2006 World Cup and beyond. (Source: Club Brugge, 'Seven Nation Army' (clubbrugge.be); UEFA)
- John Barnes performed the rap. (Source: The FA (englandfootball.com), Scottish FA and FIFA records of World Cup songs)
- She performed it at the closing ceremony in Johannesburg. (Source: FIFA, 'Waka Waka, the official song of 2010' (fifa.com))
- 1970, 1978, 1990 and 1996. (Source: The FA (englandfootball.com), Scottish FA and FIFA records of World Cup songs)
- 1918, 1992, 2003 and 2010. (Source: The FA (englandfootball.com), Scottish FA and FIFA records of World Cup songs)
- Handel wrote it for George II's coronation in 1727. (Source: UEFA, 'The Champions League anthem' (uefa.com))

## 7.78 Football on Page and Screen

Fever Pitch, The Damned United, Roy of the Rovers, Captain Tsubasa, Ted Lasso and Looking for Eric.

### Test 1: Football in books, comics and film

- It was later filmed twice, once with a baseball story. (Source: Penguin Books, 'Fever Pitch' by Nick Hornby (1992))
- Spall played his assistant Peter Taylor and Meaney played Don Revie. (Source: Faber & Faber, 'The Damned United' by David Peace (2006); BFI, 'The Damned United' (2009))
- The comic strip began in 1954. (Source: Rebellion, 'Roy of the Rovers: 1954 to today' (royoftherovers.com))
- Players such as Alessandro Del Piero and Fernando Torres have spoken of it. (Source: Shueisha, 'Captain Tsubasa' (1981); Japan Football Association)
- The series began in 2020. (Source: Apple TV+, 'Ted Lasso' (2020))
- The film is about a postman who imagines Cantona giving him advice. (Source: Sixteen Films, 'Looking for Eric' (Ken Loach, 2009))
- It follows a boy whose father returns from a Soviet prison camp. (Source: Senator Film, 'Das Wunder von Bern' (Sönke Wortmann, 2003))
- 1954, 1981, 1992, 2006 and 2020. (Source: Publishers' and studios' release records (Penguin, Faber, Rebellion, Shueisha, Apple TV+))
- 2003, 2005 and 2009. (Source: Publishers' and studios' release records (Penguin, Faber, Rebellion, Shueisha, Apple TV+))
- He had coached a college team in Kansas. (Source: Apple TV+, 'Ted Lasso' (2020))

## 7.79 Stands and Grounds With Stories

The Kop, the Holte End, the Gallowgate, the Shed, the Maracanã's name and Wembley's towers.

### Test 1: Stands and stadium names

- Spion Kop was fought in 1900; many soldiers from Lancashire died there. (Source: Liverpool FC, 'The Kop and Spion Kop' (liverpoolfc.com))
- The Holte Hotel stood beside Villa Park. (Source: Aston Villa, 'The Holte End' (avfc.co.uk))
- Public executions were once held there. (Source: Newcastle United, 'St James' Park: the Gallowgate End' (nufc.co.uk))
- Mário Filho had campaigned for the stadium to be built in Rio. (Source: Estádio do Maracanã, 'História' (maracana.com))
- The new stadium opened in 2007 with its arch instead. (Source: Wembley Stadium, 'The twin towers' (wembleystadium.com))
- The stadium was once called the Central Lenin Stadium. (Source: Luzhniki Stadium, 'History' (luzhniki.ru))
- The roof was put up in the 1930s for the greyhound crowds. (Source: Chelsea FC, 'The Shed End' (chelseafc.com))
- 1900, 1906 and 1950. (Source: Club heritage pages: liverpoolfc.com, avfc.co.uk, nufc.co.uk, manutd.com, chelseafc.com)
- 1950, 1956, 2003 and 2007. (Source: Wembley Stadium, 'The twin towers' (wembleystadium.com))
- It opened in 1923, in time for the FA Cup final. (Source: Wembley Stadium, 'The twin towers' (wembleystadium.com))

## 7.80 Museums and Old Treasures

The National Football Museum, FIFA's museum, the Museu do Futebol, the Stirling ball and the 1858 rules.

### Test 1: Football museums

- It opened at Deepdale, Preston's ground, in 2001. (Source: National Football Museum, 'About us' (nationalfootballmuseum.com))
- It holds trophies, shirts and records from FIFA's history. (Source: FIFA Museum, Zurich (fifamuseum.com))
- The museum sits under the stadium's stands. (Source: Museu do Futebol, São Paulo (museudofutebol.org.br))
- It is kept at the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum. (Source: Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum, 'The world's oldest football' (smithartgalleryandmuseum.co.uk))
- The money helped the world's oldest club. (Source: Sotheby's, sale of Sheffield FC's 1858 rules (2011); Sheffield FC (sheffieldfc.com))
- Visitors also tour the stadium. (Source: FC Barcelona, 'Barça Museum' (fcbarcelona.com))
- It is run by the National Football Museum. (Source: National Football Museum, 'Hall of Fame' (nationalfootballmuseum.com))
- 2001, 2008, 2012 and 2016. (Source: National Football Museum, FIFA Museum and Museu do Futebol official histories)
- The 1540s, 1858 and 1863. (Source: National Football Museum, FIFA Museum and Museu do Futebol official histories)
- It was found behind panelling in the Queen's Chamber in the 1970s. (Source: Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum, 'The world's oldest football' (smithartgalleryandmuseum.co.uk))

Sources: Primary/official sources where they exist: FIFA (fifa.com, inside.fifa.com). Several geography/culture facts rely on multiple cross-checked non-Wikipedia accounts, since no single official archive page was found for them - flagged per question. No Wikipedia citations. Paraphrased in original wording; original questions authored.

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