Soccer, often called association football, is a ball game played with two teams of 11 players who try to get a ball in the opposing team’s goal without using their hands or arms. The goalkeeper is allowed to use his hands to prevent the ball from entering the goal, and whichever team scores the most goals wins. It is the most popular ball game in the world. [1]
The season of soccer in the United States Major League is typically played from March to October and consists of 34 games in 10 months. Youth soccer is divided into spring and fall sports for a total of nine months. Around the world, soccer is typically played for 10 months, but the months vary by country. [2]
Soccer is played on a large, rectangular, grassy field. The size of the field varies but must be between 90 to 120 meters long and 45 to 90 meters wide according to FIFA regulations. (Fédération Internationale de Football Association)[3]
Rules of the Game
The game of soccer last 90 minutes and consists of two 45-minute halves. Additional minutes may be added if they are lost during the game due to injuries, etcetera. These minutes are called injury times. Additional minutes may be added to the end of the game if a winner is not decided, and this is called overtime. [4]
Soccer begins with a coin toss to see who will kick first. Only the kicker and the receiver are allowed in the center circle of the field. The kickoff begins the game, and it starts when the referee blows his or her whistle. The players then work together for their team, kicking and maneuvering the ball toward the other team’s goal. The ball must not go out of bounds, but if it bounces off an item or person and bounces back into bounds before hitting the ground, it is still in play. A team scores a goal if the ball crosses the goal line without breaking any rules, and then the ball is returned to the center of the field for another kickoff. [4]
If there are fewer than two defenders between a player who has possession of the ball and the goal, the player is considered to be off sides, and the defending team is awarded a free kick, where they get to kick the ball anywhere from the position of the off sides player. This may result in a goal. [4]
The most common rule-breaking, or fouls, in soccer is pushing, hitting, or tripping other players. This results in a free kick. A corner kick is allowed if an opposing team touches the ball prior to it going out of bounds. The possessing team then gets to resume play from the corner arc nearest where the ball went out of bounds. [4] There is a very large rule book produced by FIFA that clarifies other parts of game, such as other infractions and their results.
Conclusion
Soccer may not be considered America’s favorite pastime, but it has long been the world’s favorite pastime. The game is played in parks, schools, universities, and professional fields around the United States and the world. It is gaining popularity in the U.S.
While the goal of soccer is gaming, competition and fans have spurred violence in the professional soccer arena. The poor conduct of fans has been named hooliganism, but the results of fan violence have resulted in a number of deaths and riots in soccer crowds. The rivalry between countries, races, and teams is something the world’s governments have struggled to control. [5] However, this has become yet another draw to the sport, as spectators crowd the gates to witness the spectacle.
- “football”. Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2016. Web. 02 Jun. 2016
- “How long is soccer season?” Ask. (n.d.). Web. 02 Jun. 2016
- “soccer”. Sports Court Dimensions. (n.d.) Web. 02 Jun. 2016 http://www.sportscourtdimensions.com/soccer/
- “Main Football Rules.” Football Bible. (n.d.). Web. 02 Jun. 2016. http://www.football-bible.com/soccer-info/main-football-rules.html
- Bendavid, Naftali. “Soccer Violence Escalates in Europe.” The Wall Street Journal. 29 April 2015. Web. 02 June 2016.
