Beautiful game

The Beautiful Game is a nickname for association football, popular within media and advertising. It was popularised by the Brazilian professional footballer Pelé. Although the exact origin of the phrase is disputed, football commentator Stuart Hall used it as far back as 1958. Hall admired Peter Doherty when he went to see Manchester City play at Maine Road and used the term “The Beautiful Game” to describe Doherty’s style when playing.

There is no set universal explanation of exactly why football is referred to as the beautiful game, but it is widely accepted that the sport is so beloved for its sheer unpredictability, ability to bring communities together through fanhood and how visually pleasing an excellent game of football can be.