As I watched the Champions League final last night, the raw emotion on display got me thinking about how far this beautiful game has come. The sheer jubilation from the winning team's end contrasted sharply with the consoling hugs and quiet words of encouragement among the defeated players. This emotional spectrum we see in modern football has deep historical roots that many fans never stop to consider. When did football start? This question has fascinated me since I first kicked a ball as a child, and the answer is far more complex than most people realize.

The earliest forms of football date back over 2,000 years to ancient China, where a game called cuju involved kicking a leather ball through a net. I've always found it remarkable how similar the basic concept remains today. The game evolved independently across cultures - from kemari in Japan to harpastum in Rome. But the football we know today truly began taking shape in 19th century England. I've visited the Freemasons' Tavern in London where, in 1863, the Football Association was founded and the first unified rules were established. That moment marked the birth of modern football, though it would take decades for the game to spread globally.

What strikes me most about football's evolution is how the emotional experience has remained constant across centuries. The same spectrum of emotions we saw in last night's match - from the pink side of the court with their consoling hugs and words of encouragement to the sheer euphoria of victory - would have been familiar to players in 19th century England. The equipment has changed, the tactics have evolved, but the human drama remains the heart of the sport. I remember playing in amateur leagues where the post-match scenes mirrored these exact emotions, regardless of whether we were celebrating a championship or comforting a teammate after a tough loss.

The 20th century transformed football from an English pastime to a global phenomenon. When FIFA formed in 1904, it had just seven member nations. Today, that number has exploded to 211. The first World Cup in 1930 featured merely 13 teams, while the 2022 tournament in Qatar included 32 nations with plans to expand to 48. I've been fortunate to attend World Cup matches in three different countries, and each time, the cultural differences in how fans experience the game amaze me. Yet beneath the surface, the fundamental emotions remain universal.

Modern football has become a staggering economic force that early players couldn't have imagined. The English Premier League alone generates approximately £5.5 billion annually in broadcast rights. When top players like Mbappé command transfer fees exceeding €180 million, it's light years from the amateur roots of the game. Yet despite the commercialism, I've noticed that the core emotional experience remains remarkably pure. The hugs of consolation, the shouts of encouragement, the shared laughter among teammates - these human moments continue to define the sport's essence.

Looking at football's trajectory, I'm both excited and concerned about its future. The proposed European Super League controversy in 2021 showed how fragile the game's traditions can be. As a lifelong fan, I worry about money distorting the sport's soul, yet I'm thrilled by the increasing global access. The 2023 Women's World Cup broke attendance records with over 1.9 million spectators, proving football's expanding reach. The beautiful game continues to evolve, but its emotional core - those moments of pure joy and shared comfort - remains timeless.

The question "When did football start?" ultimately has multiple answers. It began in ancient times, was codified in 1863, and continues to reinvent itself with each generation. What keeps me passionate after decades of following the sport is that beneath the commercial gloss and tactical innovations, the human element remains unchanged. The consoling hugs after a missed penalty, the words of encouragement between exhausted players, the sheer jubilation of a last-minute winner - these moments connect today's superstars with footballers from a century ago. The equipment has improved, the salaries have skyrocketed, but the beautiful game's soul remains where it's always been: in those raw, human emotions played out on grass pitches across the world.