National Football Day is celebrated on July 19 to honor one of the most popular sports played in the country.

The game which is known by the name football in the U.S. and Canada is popularly called "gridiron" or "American football" in other parts of the world.

Football has become an integral part of the American culture and Super Bowl is considered to be the country's most important holiday that brings together friends and families.

Here are some fun facts about the game:

  1. The original football game was 70 minutes long. Its duration was later reduced by 10 minutes.
  2. The longest field goal in football history was 64 yards.
  3. The shape of a football is "prolate spheroid" which means "long sphere."
  4. Although the football game is divided into four quarters with each lasting 15 minutes, the actual game is played for only 11 minutes out of that.

To mark the occasion, let's take a look at some interesting quotes showcasing the spirit and love people have for football. (Courtesy: Brainy Quotes)

  1. "Football is like life - it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority."- Vince Lombardi
  2. "Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that."- Bill Shankly
  3. "Football is about joy. It's about dribbling. I favor every idea that makes the game beautiful. Every good idea has to last."- Ronaldinho
  4. "In football, even when you do your best on the pitch, you can win or lose. That is the nature of the game."- Gianfranco Zola
  5. "Football is a game of mistakes. Whoever makes the fewest mistakes wins."- Johan Cruyff
  6. "In football, the worst things are excuses. Excuses mean you cannot grow or move forward."- Pep Guardiola
  7. "Football fans share a universal language that cuts across many cultures and many personality types. A serious football fan is never alone. We are legion, and football is often the only thing we have in common."- Hunter S. Thompson
  8. The football field was a place where I could express myself and just be me. Play the game as well as you can and that's what you're judged on. Not the color of your skin, or your beliefs, or the conversation you have around racism."- Adam Goodes
  9. "It's like everything in football - and life. You need to look, you need to think, you need to move, you need to find space, you need to help others. It's very simple in the end."- Johan Cruyff
  10. "To become a great player, you've got to show real dedication and commitment to football, and you've got to be very humble and hard-working. And, above all, you've got to fight to make your dreams come true."- Sergio Ramos
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    representational image pixabay
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