Soccer is only popular because they can't afford goalposts?

American Football is a real sport - strategy, power, finesse, toughness, willpower, and brute strength are all involved. Soccer is more popular worldwide though? Why? If 3rd world countries could afford to build goalposts and players could get their hands on helmets and shoulder pads, I believe Soccer would never have become popular in the first place. The ONLY reason Soccer ever became what it is today is because it can be played by anyone with a round ball and an open field, nothing more. If Soccer required special clothing or bodily protection or needed expensive structures to be embled in order to be played, would it ever have even become a sport? Why would it if the far superior American version of Football would cost the same to administer? Nope, if it wasn't so cheap, Soccer would never have made it to where it is today. Your thoughts?