Brazililan footballer Pelé is attributed with coining the phrase in his 1977 autobiography, writing: "I dedicate this book to all the people who have made this great game the Beautiful Game."
However, while there are moments when footballers are graceful, sometimes are times when they are not. Here is our selection of the more bizarre moments of the Fifa World Cup 2014.
Don't look now: France's Mathieu Debuchy fights with Roger Espinoza of Honduras for the ball during their 2014 World Cup Group E soccer match at the Beira-Rio stadium in Porto AlegreReuters
Doing the hand jive: South Korea's Kim Shin-wook (R) fights for the ball with Belgium's Nicolas Lombaerts (L) and teammate Moussa Dembele during their 2014 World Cup Group H matchReuters
This pose isn't at all painful. Colombia's Cristian Zapata watches on in disbelief as Ivory Coast's Wilfried Bony jump during their 2014 World Cup Group C soccer matchReuters
I didn't touch him, says Greece's Giorgios Samaras, after committing a foul against Japan's Atsuto Uchida (L)Reuters
Croatia's goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa (C) chooses a strange time to break into song, during his country's match with MexicoReuters
France's Moussa Sissoko (R) tries to use telekinesis instead of heading the ball during the match at the Maracana stadium in Rio de JaneiroReuters
Ecuador's Walter Ayovi covers his face with his jersey after their 2014 World Cup Group E soccer match against FranceReuters
The locust has landed: Surely the strangest moment of the World Cup as a huge insect attaches itself to Colombia's midfielder James RodriguezReuters
