The Romans ran with the concept and invented Harpastum, which was even more brutal. Medieval Europe. The ancients weren’t the only ones who enjoyed soccer with a slice of brutality.

However, researchers recently identified what they think was a 17th-century soccer field in Scotland. They argue the find proves football was invented in Scotland, not England.

Lionel Messi and Argentina won the 2022 Qatar World Cup in one of the greatest games in soccer history / IMAGO/ActionPictures “Somebody said that football's a matter of life and death to you. I ...