We invented football - then why are we no good at it?

Scottish football 'more than 500 years old'

"Organised" football was being played in castle courtyards in Scotland more than 500 years ago, experts have found.

Documents show a set of accounts from the court of King James IV indicating he paid two shillings for a bag of "fut ballis" in April 1497.

The world's oldest surviving football dates back to 1540 and was found behind panelling in Stirling Castle.


Source: BBC News


Vocabulary:

a courtyard -

to date back to -

a set of accounts -

a shilling -

rather than ... -

to flee (fled, fled) -

amusement (n) -

foul play -

bad tempered (adj) -

to lead to stg -

a clash -

a threat -



Comments

José said…
Hi Graham,

I know the reason why Scot are no good at football, I think it is because English people used to take advantage of other people that invent, produce or they are better than them, such as Isaac Newton did it. He took advantage of physicists and intellectuals from that era. In this case, English people take Scottish people who stand out in childhood as good footballers and Scotland loses this footballers in the future.

Other reason is because Scot are more intellectual (be careful, some) than other people, for instance, could you think in this forward of the Scottish team: James Clrek Maxwell-Adam Smith-Alexander Fleming? They will be champions.

As well, the third reason, Scot run less than the Spanish and if you want to win you have to run more and faster. The Spaniards are better than the Scot at football. LOL

See you.

Graham said…
Hi José,

Scotland used to regularly appear in the World Cup but we haven't been in one since 1998. One consolation is that England doesn't produce great teams either. I'm also glad that Spain seems to be on the decline - tiki taka was a successful tactic but it made matches incredibly boring.



... I think it is because English people used to take advantage of other people that invent, produce or are better than them, as Isaac Newton did. He took advantage of physicists and intellectuals from that era. In this case, English people take Scottish people who stand out in childhood as good footballers and Scotland loses its footballers in the future.

Another reason is because Scots are more intellectual (be careful, some) than other people, for instance, could you imagine this forward of the Scottish team: James Clerk Maxwell-Adam Smith-Alexander Fleming? They would be champions.