Soccer has its roots in ancient games like Cuju, which was popular in China around 400 BC.
The mascot for the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the USA was a dog character named Striker.
The African Cup of Nations, the main international football competition in Africa, was first held in 1957.
The Copa del Rey, an annual cup tournament in Spain involving more than 80 teams, was first played in 1902.
Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane have both been named FIFA World Player of the Year three times.