Football has become a much loved part of British culture, and has been instrumental in causing change. Possibly the strangest match took place during World War I, a period of history epitomised by bloodshed and death on massive scales. On Christmas eve of 1914, upon hearing German troops singing carols, both sides walked on to no mans land and played a game of football. While it is not known who won that day, this was to be the only time in the trenches where artillery fire ceased. The Christmas Day Truce of 1914, as it became known, highlights the impact football has had in this country, and indeed the world, and helps explain why it is the nation’s favourite pasttime.