The long name in English is Association Football, with "Soccer" being the abbreviation used especially in any situation where different codes of football are concerned, to avoid confusion.

It's hardly a significant point to argue about. What might perhaps be more significant would be to argue the merits of the different varieties of football.

Myself, as spectacles, I'd rank them as Australian Rules at the top, followed by Gaelic Football, then Association Football, then Rugby Football, and then American Football. But I accept that that would be contentious.

In terms of world popularity it would have to be Association Football way ahead, with Rugby trailing a long way behind, and the rest nowhere.