The origins of Futsal can be traced back to 1930 when Juan Carlos Ceriani, a teacher in Montevideo, Uruguay, devised a five-a-side version of football/soccer for YMCAs. Originally developed for basketball courts, a rule book for the new sport was published in 1933. Once Ceriani got the ball rolling, Futsal gained rapid popularity throughout South America, particularly in Brazil.

Today, Futsal is widely known and played around the world, both indoor & outdoors, without the use of sidewalls. It is the small sided format that is officially recognized by both FIFA and UEFA.

Argentina's Lionel Messi's legendary footwork is a testament to his background in futsal. "As a little boy in Argentina, I played futsal on the streets and for my club. It was tremendous fun, and it really helped me become who I am today."

Futsal IS tremendous FUN and an invaluable tool in developing the very best, most exciting players, in the world!

FIFA WC HISTORY VIDEO