Football in China consists of association football () as well as the China national football team. Modern football has been one of the most well supported sports in China, since it was introduced in the early 20th century. The country was recognised by former FIFA president Joseph "Sepp" Blatter as the first to invent a form of football, 5000 years ago through Cuju, an ancient Chinese ball game (although there are rule differences between Cuju or Tsu' Chu and modern association football and any attempt to link this game to the development of modern football would be purely conjectural) The modern game of Association Football was formalised in England in 1863, originating from a variety of games called "football" that had been played for many centuries between villages in England. A number of games involving kicking balls were played in several countries going back to ancient times and it is impossible to say which was really the oldest.