Soccer Basics

Soccer Basics

The basics of the game of soccer are easy to learn. Soccer is the world's most popular game. The Laws of the Game are revised annually by FIFA, the world soccer governing body.

In a soccer match there are two teams competing against each other. Each team consists of not more than eleven playerson the field, including one goalkeeper. The number can go down due to penalties during the course of the game. Up to three substitutes can be used in the course of the game.

The rectangular field of play is 50-100 yards wide and 100-130 yards long. The ball used in the game is spherical, with a circumference of not more than 70cm and not less than 68cm. The soccer match includes two equal periods of 45 minutes each with a half time interval of not more than 15 minutes.

The game begins with the toss of a coin. The winning captain decides which goal to defend or whether to take the first kick off. The players are allowed to use only their feet, head, and chest to score goals. Only the goalkeepers are allowed to use their hands. The team that scores the most goals by kicking or heading the ball into the opposite team's goal wins the game. To score a goal the player must ensure that the ball passes over the goal line between the goalposts and under the crossbar.

The game is controlled by the referee. The referee acts as a timekeeper and keeps a record of the match. He can suspend a player or terminate a match. The central referee and the two linesmen can award free kicks and penalties when rules are broken.

Each of the eleven players on the team is assigned to a particular named position on the field of play. The goalkeeper's job is to guard the team's goal. Goalkeepers are allowed to use their hands to defend the ball inside the penalty area. The players who are placed in the defensive positions try to stop the opposing players, particularly the strikers, from scoring. They skillfully bring the ball out of the penalty area. Those players who are placed in the midfield positions are the links between defense and attack. The central location enables them to have an all-round view of the match, thus making them the best judge on how to control the match. They help to score a goal by passing the ball to the strikers. The main aim of the strikers in the attacking positions is to score goals.

The team that scores the greater number of goals in the match is the winner. If both teams score goals in equal numbers, or if the teams fail to score any goals, the match is a tie. In some competitive matches where the rule requires there to be a winning team even after a match has been tied, extra time and penalty kicks are awarded to produce the winner.