In the beginning, there was nothing but Chaos. Not even a beginning.
And out of Chaos came Erebus and Nyx1, darkness and the night. And Aether and Hemera, light and the day. And Eros. And Tartarus. And the others that would form the First Eleven.
Their early games bore no resemblance to the sport we know today. A match lasted but a moment and forever. For there was no time. And no opponent.
Then, as time came into being, another team formed from the offspring of Gaia, the earth, and Ouranos, the sky. And though we may call this new team the Second Eleven, they were twelve.
1Some sources suggest Nyx produced the Moirai (or Fates), who never played the game but continue to exert a large influence on the outcome of matches