# Chapter 1: History & Origins

Futsal · Chapter 1: History & Origins · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/futsal/interesting-facts/chapter-1-history-origins/)

Where the indoor game came from: the heavy-ball game of Brazil's YMCA courts, its first federations and rules, and how it reached Australia, the United States, Spain and England.

## 1.11 The Heavy-Ball Game

Brazil's YMCA courts, the heavy ball, the first federations and the first published rules.

### Test 1: Brazil's indoor game

- Light balls bounced off the court, so they were made smaller and heavier: 'o esporte da bola pesada'. (Source: Federação Paulista de Futsal, 'História do Futsal' (federacaopaulistadefutsal.com.br); Federação Mineira de Futsal, 'História do Futsal' (fmfutsal.org.br))
- He helped write rules in the early 1950s and founded the first league, at the YMCA, before leading the state federation. (Source: Federação Paulista de Futsal, 'História do Futsal' (federacaopaulistadefutsal.com.br))
- It began as the Federação Metropolitana; Minas Gerais followed the same year and São Paulo in 1955. (Source: Federação Paulista de Futsal, 'História do Futsal' (federacaopaulistadefutsal.com.br))
- Fernandes, from São Paulo, later served as general secretary of FIFUSA. (Source: Federação Paulista de Futsal, 'História do Futsal' (federacaopaulistadefutsal.com.br))
- Numbers varied with the size of the court until five a side became the rule. (Source: Federação Paulista de Futsal, 'História do Futsal' (federacaopaulistadefutsal.com.br))
- Free football fields were hard to find, so they used the courts they already had. (Source: Federação Paulista de Futsal, 'História do Futsal' (federacaopaulistadefutsal.com.br))
- The Confederação Brasileira de Futebol de Salão was founded on 15 June 1979; until then the game sat under the CBD. (Source: Federação Paulista de Futsal, 'História do Futsal' (federacaopaulistadefutsal.com.br))
- 1954, 1956, 1979 and 1990. (Source: Federação Paulista de Futsal, 'História do Futsal' (federacaopaulistadefutsal.com.br))
- The fix for the bounce gave the game its nickname. (Source: Federação Paulista de Futsal, 'História do Futsal' (federacaopaulistadefutsal.com.br); Federação Mineira de Futsal, 'História do Futsal' (fmfutsal.org.br))
- All three fillings bounced too much on a hard floor. (Source: Federação Paulista de Futsal, 'História do Futsal' (federacaopaulistadefutsal.com.br); Federação Mineira de Futsal, 'História do Futsal' (fmfutsal.org.br))

## 1.12 Arrivals Around the World

How the game reached Australia, the United States, Spain and England, and the bodies they set up.

### Test 1: The game spreads

- It later renamed itself the Australian Futsal Association once 'futsal' became the game's name. (Source: Aussie Indoor Sports, 'History of futsal'; Futsalroos History (socceroos.com.au))
- The team became the Futsalroos, and later the Qantas Futsalroos. (Source: Aussie Indoor Sports, 'History of futsal'; Futsalroos History (socceroos.com.au))
- It was incorporated in January 1983; Osvaldo Garcia was its first president. (Source: U.S. Futsal, 'History of futsal' (futsal.com))
- It took the new word 'futsal' a year after FIFUSA coined it. (Source: U.S. Futsal, 'History of futsal' (futsal.com))
- It was approved on 28 August 1989 and played its first fixtures on 30 September. (Source: FutsalFeed, 'The history of the LNFS'; Pivot Futsal, 'The most powerful professional futsal league: LNFS')
- The club has carried several sponsors' names and is the league's most successful side. (Source: FutsalFeed, 'The history of the LNFS'; Pivot Futsal, 'The most powerful professional futsal league: LNFS')
- England were among the last big European football nations to form one; the FA National Futsal League followed in 2008. (Source: UEFA, 'England's FA embraces futsal'; Futsal Street Spot, 'Futsal in England')
- 1977, 1981, 1989 and 2003. (Source: Aussie Indoor Sports; U.S. Futsal; FutsalFeed; UEFA)
- Founded in 1981 under the first name, it adopted 'futsal' in 1986. (Source: U.S. Futsal, 'History of futsal' (futsal.com))
- Australian accounts trace the game's start there to her move indoors at the Revesby YMCA. (Source: Aussie Indoor Sports, 'History of futsal'; Futsalroos History (socceroos.com.au))

## 1.13 The First World Cup, 1989

FIFA's first tournament off grass: a Dutch double party, sixteen teams in sports halls and an early exit for Spain.

### Test 1: The 1989 World Cup

- It was played in sports halls in the Netherlands. (Source: FIFA, 'Star-studded memories of the first Futsal World Cup' (inside.fifa.com))
- Beach soccer followed futsal off the grass in 2005. (Source: FIFA, 'Star-studded memories of the first Futsal World Cup' (inside.fifa.com))
- The tournament was a double party for Dutch football. (Source: FIFA, 'Star-studded memories of the first Futsal World Cup' (inside.fifa.com))
- It had been more than 60 years. (Source: FIFA, 'Star-studded memories of the first Futsal World Cup' (inside.fifa.com))
- Brazil, Hungary and Spain all won twice; Spain went out on goals and finished ninth. (Source: RSSSF, FIFA Futsal World Cup 1989 (rsssf.org/tablesf/futs89.html))
- The hosts lost the final the next day. (Source: RSSSF, FIFA Futsal World Cup 1989 (rsssf.org/tablesf/futs89.html))
- They beat Japan 3-0, Canada 2-0 and Argentina 3-1. (Source: RSSSF, FIFA Futsal World Cup 1989 (rsssf.org/tablesf/futs89.html))
- 1889, 1928, 1989 and 2005. (Source: FIFA, 'Star-studded memories of the first Futsal World Cup' (inside.fifa.com))
- One, three, four and five. (Source: RSSSF, FIFA Futsal World Cup 1989 (rsssf.org/tablesf/futs89.html))
- They won the shoot-out 5-3. (Source: RSSSF, FIFA Futsal World Cup 1989 (rsssf.org/tablesf/futs89.html))

## 1.14 Footballers at Both World Cups

The nineteen players who reached a futsal World Cup and a FIFA World Cup, from Laudrup and Belloumi to Fonseca and Okpara.

### Test 1: Footballers who played futsal for their country

- He went on to play at the 1998 World Cup in France. (Source: FIFA, 'Star-studded memories of the first Futsal World Cup' (inside.fifa.com))
- He was one of several US internationals in the futsal squad. (Source: FIFA, 'Star-studded memories of the first Futsal World Cup' (inside.fifa.com))
- It came at the 1982 World Cup in Spain. (Source: FIFA, 'The FIFA Futsal World Cup in stats' (inside.fifa.com, 2021))
- He had kept goal for Canada at their only World Cup of the time. (Source: FIFA, 'Star-studded memories of the first Futsal World Cup' (inside.fifa.com))
- He is Costa Rica's all-time top scorer. (Source: FIFA, 'Star-studded memories of the first Futsal World Cup' (inside.fifa.com); FIFA, 'The FIFA Futsal World Cup in stats' (inside.fifa.com, 2021))
- Several were in the USA's 1989 futsal squad. (Source: FIFA, 'The FIFA Futsal World Cup in stats' (inside.fifa.com, 2021))
- It forced extra time, and Peter Vermes scored the winner about a minute from the end. (Source: FIFA, 'Star-studded memories of the first Futsal World Cup' (inside.fifa.com))
- 1982, 1986, 1990, 1998 and 2002. (Source: FIFA, 'The FIFA Futsal World Cup in stats' (inside.fifa.com, 2021); FIFA, 'Star-studded memories of the first Futsal World Cup' (inside.fifa.com))
- 1989, 1992 and 2000. (Source: FIFA, 'The FIFA Futsal World Cup in stats' (inside.fifa.com, 2021))
- He is one of the 19 to play at both kinds of World Cup. (Source: FIFA, 'The FIFA Futsal World Cup in stats' (inside.fifa.com, 2021))

## 1.15 Europe's Trial Run, 1996

Cordoba, January 1996: seventeen entries, a 4,500-seat arena, Vicentin's four in the final and a doubtful observer won over.

### Test 1: The first European championship

- The games were played at the Fontanar arena. (Source: UEFA, '25 years on: Futsal EURO begins' (uefa.com, 2021))
- Qualifying games were still played in the autumn of 1995. (Source: UEFA, '25 years on: Futsal EURO begins' (uefa.com, 2021))
- Its full name was the IDM Fontanar. (Source: UEFA, '25 years on: Futsal EURO begins' (uefa.com, 2021))
- Eremenko scored twice for the other side. (Source: UEFA, '25 years on: Futsal EURO begins' (uefa.com, 2021))
- He was UEFA's technical director at the time. (Source: UEFA, '25 years on: Futsal EURO begins' (uefa.com, 2021))
- Three EURO titles and two World Cups. (Source: UEFA, '25 years on: Futsal EURO begins' (uefa.com, 2021))
- Viewing figures were higher than for European Cup basketball. (Source: UEFA, '25 years on: Futsal EURO begins' (uefa.com, 2021))
- Autumn 1995, 8 January 1996, 12 January 1996 and March 1996. (Source: UEFA, '25 years on: Futsal EURO begins' (uefa.com, 2021))
- 2, 4, 17 and 4,500. (Source: UEFA, '25 years on: Futsal EURO begins' (uefa.com, 2021))
- Vicentin and Paulo Roberto scored for Spain. (Source: UEFA, '25 years on: Futsal EURO begins' (uefa.com, 2021))

## 1.16 Futsal's Olympic Debut

The 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires: Fifo's eight-second goal, Brazil's gold and a bronze for Egypt against the hosts.

### Test 1: Futsal at the Youth Olympics

- They met again in the final four days later. (Source: FIFA, Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018 futsal reports (inside.fifa.com, 2018))
- The final was played on 17 October 2018. (Source: FIFA, Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018 futsal reports (inside.fifa.com, 2018))
- She scored a hat-trick in the first half alone. (Source: FIFA, Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018 futsal reports (inside.fifa.com, 2018))
- It was the fastest goal of the futsal events. (Source: FIFA, Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018 futsal reports (inside.fifa.com, 2018))
- Japan scored 20 in the tournament. (Source: FIFA, Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018 futsal reports (inside.fifa.com, 2018))
- Russia took silver. (Source: FIFA, Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018 futsal reports (inside.fifa.com, 2018))
- They played in two groups of five. (Source: FIFA, Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018 futsal reports (inside.fifa.com, 2018))
- Gold, silver and bronze. (Source: FIFA, Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018 futsal reports (inside.fifa.com, 2018))
- 4, 11, 20 and 21. (Source: FIFA, Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018 futsal reports (inside.fifa.com, 2018))
- Egypt beat Argentina 5-4. (Source: FIFA, Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018 futsal reports (inside.fifa.com, 2018))

## 1.17 Spain's Futsal Wars

How Spanish futsal split between two radio men in the 1980s and came back together in the LNFS.

### Test 1: Rival leagues in Spain

- He is still seen as the soul of today's Inter. (Source: Atalayar, 'The keys to the indoor football division: Garcia repeats the plan 37 years later' (atalayar.com, 6 July 2020))
- Jose Luis Peinado, Carlos Goyanes and Armando Ufarte joined too. (Source: Atalayar, 'The keys to the indoor football division: Garcia repeats the plan 37 years later' (atalayar.com, 6 July 2020))
- Jose Manuel Gozalo ran it. (Source: Atalayar, 'The keys to the indoor football division: Garcia repeats the plan 37 years later' (atalayar.com, 6 July 2020))
- His clubs set up a parallel league. (Source: Atalayar, 'The keys to the indoor football division: Garcia repeats the plan 37 years later' (atalayar.com, 6 July 2020))
- The rival leagues came together soon afterwards. (Source: Atalayar, 'The keys to the indoor football division: Garcia repeats the plan 37 years later' (atalayar.com, 6 July 2020))
- Atalayar credits him with shaping modern Spanish futsal. (Source: Atalayar, 'The keys to the indoor football division: Garcia repeats the plan 37 years later' (atalayar.com, 6 July 2020))
- Lozano briefly coached Interviu, then returned to the national team. (Source: Atalayar, 'The keys to the indoor football division: Garcia repeats the plan 37 years later' (atalayar.com, 6 July 2020))
- 1977, 1982-83, 1988 and 1989-90. (Source: Atalayar, 'The keys to the indoor football division: Garcia repeats the plan 37 years later' (atalayar.com, 6 July 2020))
- 1984, 1986 and 2000. (Source: Atalayar, 'The keys to the indoor football division: Garcia repeats the plan 37 years later' (atalayar.com, 6 July 2020))
- The shirt was nicknamed 'butane', after the colour of gas bottles. (Source: Atalayar, 'The keys to the indoor football division: Garcia repeats the plan 37 years later' (atalayar.com, 6 July 2020))

## 1.18 Spain's First World Title, 2000

Guatemala 2000: a third-choice goalkeeper, two late kicks from ten metres and the end of Brazil's run.

### Test 1: Spain in Guatemala

- He made vital saves in the final. (Source: FIFA, 'When Spain rewrote futsal history' (inside.fifa.com, 2020); RSSSF, FIFA Futsal World Cup 2000 (rsssf.org/tablesf/futs00.html))
- Luis Amado was then hurt in the same game. (Source: FIFA, 'When Spain rewrote futsal history' (inside.fifa.com, 2020))
- The decision was questioned at the training camp in Spain. (Source: FIFA, 'When Spain rewrote futsal history' (inside.fifa.com, 2020))
- Both were free kicks from ten metres, in the 36th and 39th minutes. (Source: FIFA, 'When Spain rewrote futsal history' (inside.fifa.com, 2020); RSSSF, FIFA Futsal World Cup 2000 (rsssf.org/tablesf/futs00.html))
- Brazil scored 45 goals in their three first-round games. (Source: RSSSF, FIFA Futsal World Cup 2000 (rsssf.org/tablesf/futs00.html))
- They beat Croatia 5-0, Portugal 3-1 and the Netherlands 7-0. (Source: RSSSF, FIFA Futsal World Cup 2000 (rsssf.org/tablesf/futs00.html))
- Lozano said Brazil had had their best-ever side in 2000. (Source: FIFA, 'When Spain rewrote futsal history' (inside.fifa.com, 2020))
- 2nd, 20th, 30th, 35th and 39th minutes. (Source: RSSSF, FIFA Futsal World Cup 2000 (rsssf.org/tablesf/futs00.html))
- 20 November, 25 November, 1 December and 3 December. (Source: RSSSF, FIFA Futsal World Cup 2000 (rsssf.org/tablesf/futs00.html))
- He won a second world title with Spain four years later. (Source: FIFA, 'When Spain rewrote futsal history' (inside.fifa.com, 2020))

## 1.19 Hong Kong 1992

The second World Cup: Iran's run to the semi-finals, a 7-7, Eremenko's seven and Hong Kong's one win.

### Test 1: The 1992 World Cup

- It was Iran's first World Cup, and they reached the semi-finals. (Source: RSSSF, FIFA Futsal World Cup 1992 (rsssf.org/tablesf/futs92.html))
- Russia won 10-1. (Source: RSSSF, FIFA Futsal World Cup 1992 (rsssf.org/tablesf/futs92.html))
- Russia still went out, despite scoring 20 goals in the group. (Source: RSSSF, FIFA Futsal World Cup 1992 (rsssf.org/tablesf/futs92.html))
- The USA reached their only World Cup final. (Source: RSSSF, FIFA Futsal World Cup 1992 (rsssf.org/tablesf/futs92.html))
- Fifteen goals went in on the last day. (Source: RSSSF, FIFA Futsal World Cup 1992 (rsssf.org/tablesf/futs92.html))
- They finished the group with 23 goals for and one against. (Source: RSSSF, FIFA Futsal World Cup 1992 (rsssf.org/tablesf/futs92.html))
- They still went through as group runners-up. (Source: RSSSF, FIFA Futsal World Cup 1992 (rsssf.org/tablesf/futs92.html))
- 17, 19 and 23 November, then the semi-final on the 27th. (Source: RSSSF, FIFA Futsal World Cup 1992 (rsssf.org/tablesf/futs92.html))
- Three, five, nine and fourteen goals. (Source: RSSSF, FIFA Futsal World Cup 1992 (rsssf.org/tablesf/futs92.html))
- Hong Kong finished tenth of the sixteen teams. (Source: RSSSF, FIFA Futsal World Cup 1992 (rsssf.org/tablesf/futs92.html))

## 1.20 Australia's Indoor Pioneers

Australia at the early world championships: eighth in 1985, hosts in 1988 and at the first five FIFA World Cups.

### Test 1: Australia in the early years

- They had not played at the first one, in 1982. (Source: Football Australia, 'Futsalroos History' (socceroos.com.au))
- Geelong, Canberra and Wollongong also staged games. (Source: Football Australia, 'Futsalroos History' (socceroos.com.au))
- They finished sixth. (Source: Football Australia, 'Futsalroos History' (socceroos.com.au))
- Paraguay ended the run. (Source: Football Australia, 'Futsalroos History' (socceroos.com.au))
- They came back for Thailand 2012. (Source: Football Australia, 'Futsalroos History' (socceroos.com.au))
- It came at the Asian championship in Uzbekistan. (Source: Football Australia, 'Futsalroos History' (socceroos.com.au))
- They lost the semi-final to Japan and the bronze match to Iran. (Source: Football Australia, 'Futsalroos History' (socceroos.com.au))
- 1985, 1988, 1989 and 2012. (Source: Football Australia, 'Futsalroos History' (socceroos.com.au))
- Four, twelve and sixteen goals. (Source: Football Australia, 'Futsalroos History' (socceroos.com.au))
- Australia also lost 6-1 to Italy and beat Zimbabwe 4-1. (Source: Football Australia, 'Futsalroos History' (socceroos.com.au))

Sources: Primary/official sources only, no Wikipedia citations: the São Paulo and Minas Gerais futsal federations, U.S. Futsal, the Futsalroos history, FutsalFeed, UEFA. Ceriani and Montevideo, FIFUSA, the AMF, the 1982-1988 world championships and FIFA's takeover are asked in Knowledge Testing and left out on purpose.

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