21 DEC 2023 · From mob matches between medieval villages to the 2014 World Cup finals viewed by over 1 billion fans, this football history details the key evolutionary milestones. We explore the genesis of modern football in Victorian England, its global diffusion through continental Europe and South America, the importance of tournaments and charismatic players in driving popularity, tactic shifts like Total Football and tiki-taka, as well as ongoing problems around racism and competitive imbalance undermining aspects of the beautiful game.