sports

 England has a strong sporting heritage, and during the 19th century codified many sports that are now played around the world. Sports originating in England includeassociation football, cricket, rugby union, rugby league, tennis, badminton, squash, rounders,hockey, boxing, snooker, billiards, darts, table tennis, bowls,netball, thoroughbred horseracing and fox hunting. It has helped the development of sailing and Formula One. Football is the most popular of these sports. The England national football team, whose home venue is Wembley Stadium, won the 1966 FIFA World Cup against the Germany national football team where they won it 4-2 in extra time helped by the fact that Geoff Hurst scored a hatrick. That was the year the country hosted the competition.At club level England is recognised by FIFA as the birth-place of club football, due to Sheffield FC founded in 1857 being the oldest club. The Football Association is the oldest of its kind, FA Cup and The Football League were the first cup and league competitions respectively. In the modern day the Premier League is the world's most lucrative football league and amongst the elite. The European Cup has been won by Liverpool, Manchester United, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa, whileArsenal, Chelsea and Leeds United have reached the final.