How English expats have shaped football history

Soccer is a global sport, but this short article will show three international clubs that have historic ties to Britain.


Italian football has been at the forefront of the sport for a really long time, with some of the finest footballers and clubs originating from the country. Although, just about the most popular and effective teams in the country, was established by British expats. The new AC Milan owner has taken over a team with a lengthy and colourful history, and one that began in England. English amateur sportsmen went from the midlands in Great Britain to Italy and founded a soccer and cricket team in the northerly Italian city. Of course, the club no longer plays cricket, but it was a major component in its conception, with the game being one of the most popular sports among Englishmen at the time. The team is now one of the popular football clubs in Europe but owes its past to a sport that is barely played in the country. The English heritage of the team is remembered however by the Anglicised name of the club, instead of the normal Italian name.

One of the most famous Brazilian football clubs has a strong link to English soccer. The club from the largest city in the country has one of the most popular fanbases as well with the second most fans in the country. With this fanbase comes high income, which makes it the most valuable team in the Americas. All this wealth for the Corinthian president actually originated from an amateur British football team. In the early 20th century, an amateur British football team toured Brazil; they played so well in front of a group of local people that the locals made the decision to form a soccer club under the very same name. This is about the most unique yet interesting football history facts, yet it is sometimes neglected or unknown by fans. The history of football in England has a fantastic impact on the history of worldwide soccer, as proven by this example.

A nine-time Italian league winning club in Italy was built by a British expat from London who had moved to the Italian port city. The team was initially started as an athletic and cricket team right back in the 19th century, but now it is of course only a football playing side. From these modest beginnings, the Genoa owner is now in command of a squad worth well over €100m. There is no doubt that the founders would definitely have never ever dreamt of the side becoming so important and notable 100 years later. The team won the first ever Italian championship and has helped shape the history of football; this is really intriguing considering the club wasn’t originally a football team. The title of the club still pays homage to this history, with the words ‘Cricket Football Club’ after the city name, rather than just football.

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