Football

The first known examples of a team game involving kicking a ball occurred over 3,000 years ago when the Aztecs played Tchatali. In those very early days on some ritual occasions, the ball would symbolise the sun, and the captain of the losing team would be sacrificed to the gods. Moving forward to the 12th century, versions of the games were now being played on meadows and roads in England. On the Caribbean scene, by 1920 organised associations had emerged in Guyana, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Barbados; and by the 1950s similar associations had been formed in Suriname, Aruba, and the Bahamas. Whether at the community or national level, football matches generate excitement and interest, and high-energy competitions like the IRG provide yet another opportunity for regional players to showcase their talent.