For eons, the average American sports fan has cringed at soccer's 1-0 scores. Over the past decade, however, American soccer players have finally started to receive respect on the international soccer scene. This article will help simplify international soccer to help you understand why so many people are so crazy for soccer.
As the world prepares for the 2006 World Cup of
soccer in Germany, Americans seem to be finally catching "football
fever." What's everybody cheering about?
The Basics
Known more commonly as "football"
throughout the world, professional soccer rules require 11 players per team, 10
playing the field and one goalkeeper. Games are played in two 45-minute halves,
with the referee adding "extra time" to the halves based on time
being wasted or play being stopped during the original 45 minutes. Normally,
the extra time will be between one-to-three minutes.
Depending on the type of game being played, a tie
score following the full time of 90 minutes (plus any added time) can either be
the end of the game, or (in a deciding game of a tournament, for example) lead
into overtime with a tie following an allotted time of extra play leading to
penalty kicks. With penalty kicks, each team is given five attempts to score on
the opposing goalkeeper, with the highest score being given the victory for the
game.
Other basics:
Only the goalkeeper can use his hands, and this is
within the confines of the marked-off area surrounding the goal. When a player
aside from the goal keeper uses their hands on a ball, the opposing team gets a
free kick from the spot of the infraction.
Players are penalized for rough or unfair play
through the use of cards. When a referee gives a player a yellow card, it is
considered a stern warning. A serious infraction, such as an act of violence of
some type on the field, will earn a player a red card. A red card signifies the
player has been ejected from the game and cannot be replaced, meaning the
player's team has to play with less players. Also, two yellow cards for one
player equals one red card.
An offensive player must keep one player between
himself and the goalkeeper prior to having the ball directed toward him or her.
An infraction is called an "offsides" and the opposing team gets a
free kick from the spot of the infraction. Offsides can seem tricky at first,
but televised games will normally give excellent replays showing exactly how a
player erred in positioning.
In tournaments such as the World Cup, teams are
generally allowed only three substitutions per game. This rule, however, can
fluctuate wildly depending on the type of game being played.
FIFA (Federation International Football Association) is the
soccer world’s governing body.