How To Play Soccer (Understand The World’s Best Game)
- March 2, 2024
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Santiago
HOW TO PLAY SOCCER | FOOTBALL (UNDERSTAND THE WORLD’S FAVORITE GAME)
Soccer or Football depending on where you were raised is widely known as the world’s sport, mainly because nearly every nation has a soccer team representing their land. But why has this sport weaved itself into the hearts of people worldwide?
One of the answers to that question has to do with the minimal equipment required to play. You can go online to find videos of even the most humble areas of the world playing soccer.
You’ll find barefoot children on a mud field, with goalposts made out of wooden sticks and a soccer ball as old as can be, and still, you’ll find happiness. Smiles across their faces show the perfect image of what soccer is all about.
Football is accessible to people of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels. The rules are pretty simple. This article will review the rules of the world’s prettiest game.
Soccers Unegotiable Rules
Players cannot make contact with the ball using their arms and hands unless they are the goalkeeper and are within the goal box or a player throwing the ball from a throw-in.
You must respect each other’s health and play the ball, not the player. This means any challenge you make must intend to get the soccer ball only and, most importantly, first.
Football is a gentleman’s game, while your emotional control will, without a doubt, be tested on the field. You must not punch, fight, kick, or harm another player. There is no place in the game for this; if you do, it is automatically an expulsion.
Soccer’s Negotiable Rules
Everything else in soccer is negotiable: how many players can be on the field, 3v3, 4v4, 5v5, 6v6, etc. Also, the formation that you use and the tactics can all be changed.
For the sake of this blog post, however, we will talk about the professional rules of the game.
Get to Know the Field: Positions and Formations
Yellow= Goalkeepers Red= Defenders Green= Midfielders Pink= Forwards
The left team shows a 3-5-2 formation, and the right team shows a 4-3-3 formation. Teams must be split down the middle of the pitch at the start of the game or the half.
GK= Goalkeepers, CB= Centre Back, RB= Right Back, LB= Left Back, LCDM= Left Center Midfielder, RCDM=Right Center Midfielder, CM= Center Midfielder, CAM= Center Attacking Midfielder, ST= Striker, LW = Left Winger, RW= Right Winger
- The field is rectangular and split down the middle to form two halves.
- A soccer game is between two teams, each consisting of 11 players. These players are divided into three categories: goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and forwards.
- Players are assigned specific positions, each with unique responsibilities. Typical positions include forwards, midfielders, defenders, and goalkeepers.
- There are many formations in soccer. The most basic ones are the 4-4-2 or 4-3-3. These formations display the number of defenders, midfielders, and forwards in order. So 3-5-2 means three defenders, five midfielders, and two forwards.
Soccer | Football Rules
- If the ball crosses the yellow line on either side, it results in a throw-in. The team that conducts the throw-in is determined by who touched the ball last before crossing the line. Whichever player touched it last, the throw-in will go to the opposing team.
- The highlighted area represents the goalie’s box. In this area, the goalkeeper can use his hands to pick up or grab the ball. A goalkeeper grabbing the ball outside this area is not allowed and would result in a free kick for the opposition.
- If the attacking team is fouled in the goalkeeper’s box, this would result in a penalty kick.
- A penalty kick is taken from the small dot in the goalkeeper’s box and would result in a direct shot where all players except for the goalie and the penalty taker will stand outside the goalkeeper’s box.
- If the ball leaves on the shorter sides of the rectangle, it is considered a corner kick or a goal kick.
- If a player on the attacking team touches the ball last before going out. It is a goal kick for the opposing team. A goal kick is a kick taken by the goalie within the smaller rectangle inside the goalie’s box.
- If the defending team touches the ball last before going out, it is a corner kick for the attacking team. If the ball crosses the yellow line, the corner is taken from that corner side. The same goes for when the ball crosses the red line.
- Soccer games are played in 2 45 minute halves plus extra time. The referee adds this extra time to account for stoppage of play during fouls, celebrations, injuries, etc. The most common is +3 minutes, which extends each half by 3 minutes. 45 +3.
- Soccer games can be drawn at the end of 90 minutes plus extra time unless it is a championship game. Championship soccer games must have a winner. In this case, 30 minutes are added (15 minute halves). If teams are still tied after extra time, the game will be decided via penalty kicks.
Teamwork and Communication: The Key to Success
- Soccer is a team sport that requires effective communication and collaboration.
- Develop an understanding of your teammates’ playing styles and anticipate their moves on the field.
- Effective verbal and non-verbal communication is crucial for coordinating plays and defending against opponents.
Understanding the Offside Rule
Two things matter when it comes to offsides: the exact moment the person passing the ball touches the ball and where the person receiving that passed ball is when the passer touches it.
- The offside rule can be challenging for newcomers. The best way to explain this rule is that if you are the last defender on your team, meaning there are no more players between you and your goalie, there is an imaginary straight line stretching from where you are across the field. If an opposing player is behind your imaginary line when his teammate makes contact with the ball, he is offside.
Respect for the Game: Fair Play and Sportsmanship
- Soccer is not just about winning; it’s about playing with integrity and respect.
- Embrace the principles of fair play, abide by the rules, and show sportsmanship on and off the field.
Soccer is more than just a game; it’s a global phenomenon that brings people together from all walks of life. It is a therapeutic art I will continue to play as long as God allows me to.
By mastering the basics, honing your skills, and embracing the spirit of teamwork and fair play, you can fully appreciate and enjoy the beautiful game of soccer.
Whether you’re playing in a local park or cheering for your favorite team in a stadium, the passion and excitement of soccer are bound to leave a lasting impact on your life. So, grab a ball, hit the field, and let the magic of soccer unfold!
Santiago
Santiago is a sports enthusiast, fitness lover, writer, entrepreneur, and owner of letusrank.com. Born in Cali, Colombia, before moving to the sunny shores of Florida at the age of 7, Santiago has played soccer for as long as he can remember and has no plans to stop playing.
In pursuing a well-rounded athletic lifestyle, Santiago discovered the world of weightlifting and boxing at 13. Santiago would attend a local boxing gym and go to neighborhood backyard fights, where kids his age would put on gloves and box.
Let Us Rank reflects the passion and experience he's gained outside of his professional life, a digital canvas where he shares his insights into the sports he's been following for over 20 years—Soccer, boxing, and MMA.
Whether dissecting a soccer match or predicting an MMA or boxing fight, he aims to inspire, educate, and foster a community that shares a passion for sports and an active and vibrant lifestyle.
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