[Frank_2001]

“the start of the football World Cup”

THAT...er...game...is NOT, I repeat NOT, “FOOTBALL”! The NFL should sue their pants off;)

[NormsRevenge]

starting off on a sad note for Nelson and family..

Mandela relative killed after World Cup concert

Donna Bryson, Associated Press

JOHANNESBURG – It should have been a moment of triumph — Nelson Mandela, basking in the cheers as Africa's first World Cup opened.

Instead, South Africa's beloved anti-apartheid icon stayed at home with his family Friday in northern Johannesburg during the opening ceremony and game, mourning his 13-year-old great-granddaughter Zenani, who died in a car crash on the way home from a tournament-eve concert in Soweto.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

In many countries, soccer is football. The name “soccer” is unheard of, and one will be looked upon as if one is speaking a Chinese dialect if one uses the word “soccer.” Folks won’t know what you are talking about.

U.S. football is referred to as “American football” to distinguish it from “real” football.

I didn’t invent this so don’t take offense.

[wolf78]

THAT...er...game...is NOT, I repeat NOT, “FOOTBALL”! The NFL should sue their pants off;)

WRONG. It is known all over the world as football, or to be more precise by it's full name "association football" as opposed to "rugby football". Soccer is just the abbreviation used when contrasting association football to rugby or American / gridiron football.

Usually the simpler, more general term "football" is applied to the more popular sport in that country, whereas the composite / more specific term is used for the less popular. That's why in the US gridiron football is called football and association football is called soccer, whereas in e.g. Germany association football is "Fussball" and rugby football is rugby and American football is American football.

However, they are ALL called football.