hi! not discouraging additional in-depth responses, but this question has come up a few times, so get started on previous responses
origins of football
differences in the popularity of association football in various countries
(from the FAQ) Why isn't Soccer the most popular sport in the former 'white' dominions of the British Empire?
How did the dominant sports in the USA come to be so different from the rest of the world?
Why isn't soccer as popular in the U.S.A. as other countries?
Why did soccer become more popular in Europe than in America?
Why is football not a major sport in many countries of the former British Empire? -- also includes cricket
Why did soccer become more popular in Europe than in America?
Why is soccer the sport of the world instead of, say, cricket, or baseball?