although european football is the p

although european football is the parent of american football, the two games show several major differences. European football, sometimes called association football or soccer,is played in 80 countries,making it the most widely played sport in the world. American football, on the other hand,is popular only in North America(the United states and canada).Soccer is played by eleven players with a round ball.Football,also played by eleven players in some what different positions on the field, is played with an elongated
round ball.Soccer has little body contact between players and therefore requires no speacial protective equipment. Football,in which players make maximum use of body contact
to block a running ball-carrier and his team-mates,requires special headgear and padding. In soccer,the ball is advanced toward the goal by kicking it or by putting it with the head. In football,on the other hand ,the ball is passed from hand to hand or carried in the hand across the opponent's goal. These are just a few of the features which distinguish association football and American football.