Fill in each numbered blank with one suitable word or phrase Over the (1)……… 25 years football has not only taken root as the world 's major game in an ephemeral world but has also blossomed other branches of society, commerce and politics. Football, more than (2) . . . . . . . . . other factor, has enveloped whole regions, people and nations. With (3) . . . . . . . . . two hundred million active players it now constitutes a substantial chunk of the leisure industry, having opened up new markets for (4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . and for the rest of the business (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . Question 3.