Americans may love football, but did you know its origins are in medieval England?

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The playoffs are over and the matchup is set: The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks will face off on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara for the Super Bowl.

Millions of people will tune in to watch this unique and beloved American sport for the biggest game of the year. But does it surprise you that the origins of both the word and the framework for the modern game stem from medieval England?

Today, the word 'football' is used to refer to different games: American football, the game played at the Super Bowl, where a foot is rarely used to direct the ball. And elsewhere in the world, football refers to what Americans call "soccer."

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