Footrace Football is a very old game. The ancient Romans, Chinese, and mexicans all played games where men kicked a ball.For the Romans it was a war game, in which two teams of soldiers would use whatever force was necessary to get the ball across either of two defended lines. The Roman Empire has long since vanished but the violent pastime of the armies has continu ied---and can s be quite Turn to p 19, and listen to the text lar in italy France, England, and Scotland, but it was such a dangerous game that kings actually banned it, and for 300 years it suffered greatly from official disapproval. Nevertheless, in 1613, the King of England permitted himself to be entertained in an English village with"music and a football match, and, a few years later, the English dictator Oliver Cromwell played football when he was at universityFootball is a very old game. The ancient Romans, Chinese, and Mexicans all played games where men kicked a ball. For the Romans it was a war game, in which two teams of soldiers would use whatever force was necessary to get the ball across either of two defended lines. The Roman Empire has long since vanished, but the violent pastime of the armies has continued---and can still be quite violent. In the Middle Ages, some kind of “football” was popular in Italy, France, England, and Scotland, but it was such a dangerous game that kings actually banned it, and for 300 years it suffered greatly from official disapproval. Nevertheless, in 1613, the King of England permitted himself to be entertained in an English village with “music and a football match,” and, a few years later, the English dictator Oliver Cromwell played football when he was at university. Football Turn to p.19, and listen to the text