The Stories Behind These Iconic Photos

Five months into World War I, an unexpected and unofficial truce occurred along the Western Front. Around Christmas of 1914, British, French and German soldiers crossed the trenches into an area that was referred to as a “no man’s land” to exchange seasonal greetings. On Christmas Eve, men of both sides crossed the trenches to exchange gifts.

Evidently, during this truce, the soldiers of the different sides held soccer a number of friendly soccer matches, which were presumably initiated by an English soldier. You would think this is an ordinary photo of a group of soldiers during a game of soccer, but it holds a surprising story to it, which is what makes it this famous.