Football is a family of team sports where players aim to move a ball past a goal line or into a goal using only their bodies—by carrying, kicking, or throwing. The term's meaning varies by region, encompassing association football (soccer), rugby union and league, American and Canadian football, Australian rules, and Gaelic football, all of which trace their modern codified rules to English public schools in the 19th century and spread globally through the British Empire. A key milestone came in 1888 with the founding of England's Football League, the first professional association, while distinct regional codes like Gaelic football deliberately preserved local traditions. These sports split into two main classes: carrying codes (e.g., rugby, American football) where the ball is held or passed by hand, and kicking codes (e.g., soccer, Gaelic) where footwork dominates and handling is restricted—though all share common elements like 11–18 players per team, goalposts, and skills such as passing, tackling, and kicking. The name "football" likely derives from the ball being moved by feet or the game being played on foot, and its ancient roots include cuju in China, a competitive game played during the Han and Qin dynasties that resembled modern soccer. By the 20th century, these various forms had grown into some of the world's most popular team sports.