Definition of The Beautiful Game

What is the meaning of the term Beautiful Game, when it comes to sports?

The origin of the term Beautiful Game is not known. What is known is that one of the most famous footballers in history, Pele, popularized the term, calling football 'O Jogo Bonito', which when translated from Portuguese language means the beautiful game. Pele named his autobiography My Life and the Beautiful Game.

To all the football fans from around the world football is more than a game. It has an aesthetic dimension. It is an art. One only has to look at the movement and skill of virtuosos such as Zinedine Zidane, Pele, Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi to understand this. Football is, more often than not, played with heart. It is played with honour. And most importantly, it is played with joy.





Football can be exciting and it can be boring. It is unpredictable and polarizing. Often it is the cause of glorious celebrations, powerful enough to unite nations. But it can also be the cause of hooliganism and violence. Football frequently enters the realm of politics, and it also goes the other way around. Football is, unfortunately, often an instrument for financial corruption.

Football is part of global culture. It is the biggest, most loved sport in the world and the phrase Beautiful Game suits it perfectly.