Why did they start playing football?

Answer 1

Tackle football might have been banned in some schools because it was too dangerous a sport for younger boys. It is also a possibility that tackle football was banned due to a loss of school funding.

Answer 2

The origins of soccer lie in England in the late 19th century. Similar to the origins of most sports, it started by some people kicking a ball around. To see who was better, the players created a goal, some thing that is to be aimed for in order to earn a point. From that, strategies evolved to increase scoring chances. One thing led to another, and the sport became a collegiate event, later codified into a set of rules (the "Laws of the Game"), which in turn evolved into the modern sport.