An image of an episkyros participant depicted in low relief on a vase on the National Archaeological Museum of Athens appears on the UEFA European Championship trophy. Athenaeus, writing in 228 CE, referenced the Roman ball recreation harpastum. Phaininda, episkyros and harpastum had been played involving arms and violence. They all seem to have resembled rugby football, wrestling and volleyball more than what’s recognizable as fashionable soccer. As with pre-codified “mob soccer”, the antecedent of all modern soccer codes, these three games concerned more dealing with the ball than kicking. The two most prestigious competitions in European membership soccer are the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Women’s Champions League, which magnetize an intensive tv audience all through the world.

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