The Soccer Ashes was a

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

trophy contested by

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

and New Zealand between the 1920s and 1950s.

History

The concept of awarding a trophy made of ashes was inspired by the

Ashes Ashes may refer to: *Ash, the solid remnants of fires. Media and entertainment Art * ''Ashes'' (Munch), an 1894 painting by Edvard Munch Film * ''The Ashes'' (film), a 1965 Polish film by director Andrzej Wajda * ''Ashes'' (1922 film), a ...

urn awarded to the winner of series between Australia and England in

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

. The Soccer Ashes were created after New Zealand defeated Australia in a series in 1923. The ashes consisted of the remains of cigars smoked by the two captains,

Alec Gibb Alex Gibb was an Australian professional soccer player who played as many half-back roles with Queensland clubs and was captained for the Australia national team. Gibb is recognised as Australia's first international captain and was awarded ret ...

(Australia) and George Campbell (New Zealand). The ashes were encased in a razor case used by a New Zealand soldier during the Gallipoli campaign during World War I. The case was then set in wood from both countries.

References

{{New Zealand national football team Australian soccer trophies and awards Association football cup competitions in New Zealand Sports rivalries in Australia Sports rivalries in New Zealand The Ashes Australia–New Zealand sports relations

History

See also

References