All the things you need to know about soccer

All the things you need to know about soccer, sound amazing, right?

When it comes to soccer, people all around the world are crazy about it and the number of fans that it has is countless and the FIFA World Cup held every four years has a separate fan base but most of the fans end up having so many questions related to soccer.

So, no worries, by the end of this post, you'll be able to know everything about soccer. I'll try to clear all of the questions about soccer that you were having till now.

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Soccer vs Football

The first doubt that comes to everybody's mind is the difference between soccer and football, even I was confused for a while and now I'll clear it to you here. 

So, Soccer or Football? Well, most of the countries call it football while some countries like the US, Japan, Australia, Canada, South Africa where there is already another football(e.g. Rugby Football) call it soccer. In the United Kingdom, the term Association football was coined to distinguish the game from other forms of football played at the time (e.g., Rugby Football), and the word soccer was derived from the 'association' part of the name (assoc.).

How do you spell soccer?

Different people from different countries spell soccer differently.

American pronunciation:- saa.kr

British pronunciation:- so.kuh

Indian pronunciation:- saw.kuh

When and Where did soccer originate?

Association Football, later on, football or soccer has a long history. Soccer that we play today emerged in England in the middle of the 19th century, but different versions of soccer existed way much earlier and are part of soccer history.

Over 3,000 years ago, ancient Mesoamerican cultures played the first soccer team game with a rock ball. On some occasions, the ball represented the sun, and the captain of the losing team was sacrificed to the gods. A bouncing ball made of rubber was a distinguishing feature of Mesoamerican ball game versions, no other cultures of that time had access to rubber.

The first known ball game that included kicking happened in China during Han Dynasty in the 3rd and the 2nd century BC by the name cuju. Cuju was played on a square area with a round ball (stitched leather with fur inside). A modified version of soccer spread to Japan later and came to be known as "kemari" when practiced in ceremonial forms.

Another version of cuju was Marn Gook, which was played by Australians. It was a game that basically involved kicking the ball and the ball was made of leaves or roots.

The Football Association

The Football Association (FA) is the governing body of English football (soccer), which was founded in 1863. The FA is in charge of all aspects of organized football, both amateur and professional, as well as national competitions.

The modern game of association football arose from efforts by local football clubs in the mid 19th century to regularize the varying sets of rules, culminating in the formation of The FA in London, England in 1863.

The association's rules allowed clubs to play each other without dispute and specifically prohibited both ball handling (except by goalkeepers) and hacking during open field play.

Who invented soccer?

Actually, this is sort of a hot topic as no one, in particular, has been claimed to be the 'inventor' of soccer. Though England is said to be the 'inventor' of modern football or soccer, the other forms of this game already existed way much earlier elsewhere in the world.

As mentioned earlier, cuju played in china during the Han Dynasty in the 3rd and 2nd century BC which involved kicking the ball into the net is said to be the earliest form of soccer.

Ultimately, we can say that soccer has been here across the world for a very long time and there is no one individually there who can be called the inventor of soccer particularly. The standards that we observe today in modern football or soccer are all set by FIFA.

What is FIFA?

FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) is the governing body of soccer or football in the world. It was created in Paris in 1904. Zurich, Switzerland is the headquarter of FIFA.

Robert Guérin, a Frenchman, was FIFA's first president. FIFA's current president is Gianni Infantino.

FIFA is in charge of regulating the game all over the world having 209 member associations. The help of the International Football Association Board ensures that the game's laws remain universal. 

It organizes the World Cup every four years, which is its primary source of revenue, amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars. It also organizes a number of other women’s and age-group world tournaments.

How to play soccer?

To play soccer, you need to know some basic rules and structure of soccer before getting started with it, also you need to learn the required skills to be better at it and become a great player.

Here are a few steps on how to play soccer:-

First, Getting familiarized with the rules:- 

Knowing the rules of the game is the most important part of the game that every player should keep in mind.

A few basic rules of soccer are as follows:-

• A match consists of two teams of 11 players each.
• The ball has to be touched or kicked by the feet and if touched by hands there will be a penalty.
• Only the goalkeeper is can touch the ball with his hands.
• To increase the score, the team has to kick the ball inside the opposite goal line.
• An offense by one team provides the opposite team with a free-kick. 
• If the ball goes out of the playground, the opposite team brings it back.

What does a yellow card mean in soccer?

If a player attempts a minor offense(fouls, delaying, bad language, or behavior), he is shown a yellow card by the referee which certainly means a warning or remainder or a temporary suspension and is given another chance to continue his game and if a player attempts an offense for the second time, he's sent off meaning first he is shown the yellow card and then a red card.

What does a red card mean in soccer?

If a player attempts a severe penalty(violent conduct, purposeful obstruction, fights, etc.), on the grounds of misconduct he is shown a red card by the referee, which simply means the player has to leave the ground immediately, and also the team can not have his replacement which shows the outnumbering of the team for rest of the match. If a goalkeeper is shown a red card, he can be replaced with another substitute to do goalkeeping.

Second, Know the game's time structure:- 

The game lasts for 90 minutes which is divided into two halves of 45 minutes each and there is no timeout in between the match, only the referee can decide for the drink breaks if the weather is really hot. If there is a tie in the match, the duration can be extended or extra time can be added. An additional 30-minutes is added in order to decide the winner, in case of a draw.

There is a term called "golden goal" which exceptionally applies to FIFA only in which if a team scores the first goal in the extra time wins the match.

Third, Know about the game positions:-

Game positions are actually something that hints a player to choose a position on the ground as per his skill set, for example, if a player is good at the defense he can choose to be a defender, if one is good at goalkeeping he can be a goalkeeper, and so on.

There are basically four positions in soccer:-

• Goalkeeper
• Defense
• Midfield
• Forwards

Goalkeeper

As the name suggests, the work of a goalkeeper is to keep the ball from entering the goal post hit by the opposite team players and pass the ball to the teammates, for the entire match. A goalkeeper should always be attentive and have good reflexes. He is the only player in the entire match who is allowed to grab the ball with his bare hands.

Defense

A defender is someone who plays the role of protecting the team's goal post area by tackling the ball or the opposite team players and covers almost half of the field containing the goal defending area.

A defender requires good tackling skills and should always have his eyes on the position of his fellow teammates to quickly pass the ball. They also act as backups if the position of the fellow teammate is vacant for a while. 

Midfield

A midfielder acts as a mediator between defenders and forward players. His role is to bring the ball towards the opposition's goal area from his team area. 

Sometimes, a midfielder also sets up attacks, and sometimes he is brought back to act as a defender.

Midfielders need to have outstanding stamina and fitness as they have to cover more fields than the other players.

Forwards

As the name suggests, forwards also known as strikers are the players who play near the opposite team's goal, and try to make or score goals for their team and also create chances for other players of their team to score goals.

Forwards or strikers work on their flexibility so that they are perfect to take the best shots from any angle to score goals for the team.

Fourth, Know about the game equipment and own the right one:-

The first important piece of equipment that you need to be owning is the soccer ball itself. You don't need to buy an expensive ball on your first day at practice, just a good quality one is perfect that you can buy at your nearby store or online.

Now, when done buying your soccer ball you need to look for what to wear, you will be required to wear something which is loose and comfortable for running and flexible movements when you are playing with your friends.

However, when you're playing an official game, you're supposed to wear the following things:-

• Team's jersey
• Shorts
• Shocks(Long)
• Shin guards
• Cleats or soccer shoes

Fifth, work upon your fitness:-

Fitness is the key to your good performance and for that good performance, you'll have to work upon your fitness.

There are some drills that you can do to improve your fitness:-

• Start Running:- Running is the best thing you can do to your body. It not only enhances your stamina and endurance but also improves your body posture. As a beginner, start with jogging and then gradually increase your speed and distance.

• Work upon your core:- If your core is strong it helps your body with good coordination and balance for agile movements. Core muscles are in charge of strengthening the spine and pelvis as well as generating energy that is transferred from the core and center of the body to the extremities.

• Resistance Training:- Resistance training will help you strengthen your muscles and enhance your endurance. It basically involves the use of weights with a variety of techniques such as squat, overhead press, chest press, etc.

• Eat healthy food:- A healthy and balanced diet is a very crucial part for not only athletes but for everyone. Good nutritional food provides your body with enough energy which allows you to perform well and protein that helps repair and build muscles.

• Regular full body checkups:- Full body checkups on a regular basis is very important to find out chronic or severe diseases in your body if there are any. It not only helps you find diseases but also stops them from spreading to your teammates.

Sixth, Learn the basic skills:-

Since you've got the knowledge of soccer, its game structure, and rules, positions, what to wear in order to play soccer, etc. now is the time to finally jump into practice and drills, and learn the basic skills required to play soccer.

There are a few skills listed below that you have to learn in order to get better at soccer:-  

• Juggling:- Beginners find juggling a little tough in the beginning to get started with and master it, but believe it, juggling is something that you can master in a few weeks, you just need to give your best efforts at your drill. There are tons of tutorials on Youtube teaching how to juggle, you should check out those.

• Headers:- A header is a technique used in soccer to control the ball with the head in order to pass, shoot, or clear the ball. Attempting to the header is a very important skill in soccer and you should definitely master this skill so that there is a high chance of scoring goals for your team. 

• Passing:- Soccer is not a single-player sport, it requires teamwork and coordination among teammates. During matches, passing the ball to your nearest teammates increases the chance of scoring goals. To practice passing, you just need one friend and start passing the ball forward and backward between you and your friend. If he's not there, you can do so by bouncing the ball to the walls.

• Kicking:- After you've mastered the passing part, jump into the kicking part, you can practice so by asking your friend to move a little far and start kicking the ball with the inside of your foot and add a little intensity, this way you'd keep getting better at kicking day by day.

• Scoring Goals:- The goal of playing soccer is to score goals. The team that scores the most goals wins the game! Scoring goals is the most essential part of soccer as it ultimately decides whether your team is going to win or lose. To practice this, you need to stand in front of the goal post and try kicking the ball inside the goal post in the presence of the goalkeeper. 

Seventh, find soccer friends:-

Once you are done with understanding what goes on in soccer and how to play it, you are ready to be a part of a team. It's not entirely necessary that to make a proper professional team at the beginning, just make a team out of your school friends and siblings. 

Play with them every day to sharpen up whatever you've learned, this will increase your level and you'll start becoming better gradually.

Seventh, Watch Soccer matches and admire your favorite players:-

If you are passionate about soccer and want to be a really good player then start watching soccer matches in your spare time, it will teach you almost everything about how soccer is played, penalties, fouls, team strategies, etc. and it's fun too. Not only does it teach you so many things, but also it keeps you motivated.

Try to copy your favorite player's techniques and keep improvising as it will boost your overall soccer skills and you'll be able to make your own techniques.

You can also play soccer games which are available on mobile phones, PC, and PlayStation to experience a real soccer match. 

How long is a soccer field?

Officially, FIFA (The Fédération Internationale de Football Association) decides the dimensions of the soccer field which are:-

Length- 90-120 meters or 100-130 yards

Width- 45-90 metres or 50-100 yards

For international matches, the rules are a little more strict:-

Length- 100-110 meters or 110-120 yards

Width- 64-75 metres or 70-80 yards

What is the size of a soccer ball?

Soccer ball comes in different sizes for different age groups and the purpose of this variation in sizes is that it allows more players to enjoy the game with the same amount of fun and enjoyment. A 7 years old kid is more comfortable playing with the ball made for his age group than a full standard size ball.

There are four different sizes of soccer balls available. The standard size of a soccer ball that is widely used is size 5 having a circumference of about 68-70 cm.

Sizes of soccer balls:-

• Size 5- This sized ball is for professional players out there and the players of age above 12 years making it a little pricey one. This size ball's weight is around 410-450 gm or 14-16 oz.

• Size 4- This size is basically used by the youth players having the age range of about 8-12 years. The circumference of this ball is about 63.5-66 cm and weighs around 350-390 gm or 12.3-14 oz. This size ball is perfect for those players who find it difficult to practice dribbling on a standard ball.

• Size 3- This ball is roughly around 58.5-61 cm in circumference and has a weight of around 300- 320 gm or 10.5-11.3 oz. The thing about this size ball is that it is made for kids of age below 8 years to make them get familiarized with soccer from a young age.

• Size 1- This ball is also known as "minis" which has a circumference of around 46-51 cm. These balls are mostly used for souvenir or collection purposes and clubs or teams use them to put their logos on them.

What is relegation in soccer?

Relegation is a term used in soccer and other sports where a bottom-ranked team is shifted to a lower league or division according to their performance at the end of each season and another term promotion is used for the top-ranked team and whose performance at the end of each season is outstanding.

So, getting relegated means getting transferred to a lower division.

The purpose of this system is to make sure that every team gets the chance of becoming a top-ranked team based on their performance and this is temporary which means if a new or weak team is struggling to be the top one and performs well then that team gets promoted to the top division.

Is soccer in the Olympics?

Yes, soccer is in the Olympics since 1900 and is part of it when men's soccer was included in the Summer Olympics for the very first time which was held in Paris in 2024. The age of men should be under 23 years. Women's soccer was included in the Summer Olympics in 1996 and there is no age restriction for them, unlike in the men's Olympics. 

Many soccer players aspire to represent their country at the Olympics, and it is really a great honor for them.

Format

The competition is divided into two stages: a round-robin group stage and a knockout stage, for both the men's and women's tournaments. 

Teams are divided into four-team groups, with each team playing with every other team in its group once.

Teams receive 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie, and 0 points for a loss. Each group's top two teams advance to the knockout rounds.

The knockout rounds consist of a single-elimination tournament with quarterfinals, semifinals, and gold and bronze medal matches.

When is the next soccer world cup?

The soccer world cup often called FIFA World Cup is an international competition cum event which is being conducted every four years since 1930, except 1942 and 1946 because of the second world war. 

The 22nd FIFA World Cup will be held in 2022 from 21 November to 18 December in Qatar. 

The last FIFA World Cup was held in 2018 at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia, and France won the title by defeating Croatia by 4-2.

 

How much do soccer players make?

The salary or the money that a soccer player makes depends upon different factors like his capabilities and the club that he plays for. Major League Soccer's base salary is $56,250 per year, and the average player earns $117,000 per year. The National Women's Soccer League has a starting salary of $16,538 and a maximum salary of $44,000. 

However, a European Premier League soccer player earns the most money. The two clubs with the highest incomes are Real Madrid and Barcelona.

The Championship(England)

The average earning of the players in the championship(England) goes up to £7,500 to £8,500 a week which means they earn between $45 and $51 an hour. 

However, this salary is not the highest of all leagues, there are other leagues that provide a player with a decent amount like the premier league, La Liga, etc.

The Premier League 

The Premier League (England) is a top-tier competition. So, in this tournament, a player earns up to €50,000 per week. Professional soccer players, on the other hand, earn significantly more in the Premier League. Paul Pogba, for example, can earn €290,000 per week. David De Gea earns up to €200,000 a week.
Hence, it is obviously true that the Premier League is one of the most generous leagues.

La Liga

La Liga is a Spanish League and there is a big difference in the salaries of the players in this league. For example, Sergio Ramos earns around €200,000 per week whereas Gareth Bale makes €400,000 per week. 

Lionel Messi, on the other hand, earns up to €650,000 which is way more than the other players and is the highest-paid player to date.

But the average salary of the players for this tournament ranges up to €80,000 per week.

Serie A

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the tournament's brightest stars. Bringing home an awesome amount of €560,000 per week. 

Emanuele Giaccherini whereas earns only €13,000 per week, while the majority of the league's base group earns less than €10,000.

Matches and leagues are not the only sources of income of the players, they have multiple income sources such as advertisement contracts, bonuses for their achievements, businesses, investments, etc.