| Soccer is perhaps the world's favorite spectator | | | | highest score wins the game.During a game, players |
| sport, popularly known as "Football" in Britain and | | | | are only allowed to wear soccer equipment and are |
| other European countries. This game can be as | | | | prohibited to wear anything that may harm him as |
| frustrating as golf, as physical as football and hockey, | | | | well as the other. This includes any kind of jewelry |
| as erratic as baseball, and as exciting as basketball. | | | | and other accessories. The basic soccer equipment of |
| No simple word can describe the popularity of the | | | | a player include a jersey or shirt with their distinctive |
| game, with a global television audience of 49 billion | | | | soccer patches; shorts, if thermal under shorts are |
| people for the 2002 World Cup alone. The game is | | | | worn, it has to be the same main color as the shorts; |
| exciting and highly addictive to watch and | | | | stockings; and footwear, soccer shoes, boots, cleats. |
| play.Professional game rules require 11 players per | | | | There are instances that players may use extra |
| team, 10 playing the field and one goalkeeper. With | | | | equipments such as shin guards and headgears. The |
| the use of a round ball, the matched is player with | | | | shin guards protect the leg below the knee and are |
| the two teams wearing shirts of different colors with | | | | completely covered by the stockings. These are |
| distinctive soccer patches. The game is divided into | | | | either made of rubber, plastic, or similar substances. |
| two sets, each for 45 minutes long with the referee | | | | While the head gear are available to protect younger |
| adding "extra time" based on time being wasted or | | | | players when heading the ball. For goalkeepers, they |
| play being stopped during the original 45 minutes. | | | | must wear a color that separates him from the other |
| Usually, the extra time will be about one-to-three | | | | goalkeeper, players, the referee and the assistant |
| minutes. A maximum of three substitutes may be | | | | referees. There are four important details that one |
| used in any match played in an official competition | | | | should know about the game before he is ready to |
| organized under the auspices of the World Governing | | | | play soccer. The first is that only the goalkeeper is |
| body Federation International Football Association | | | | allowed to use his hands, and this is only within the |
| (FIFA), the confederations or the national | | | | confines of the marked-off area surrounding the goal. |
| associations. However, in other competitions the rules | | | | When a player uses their hands on a ball, the |
| must state how many substitutes may be | | | | opposing team gets a free kick from the spot of the |
| nominated, from three up to a maximum of | | | | violation.The second vital information that you should |
| seven.The decision regarding a match ending with a | | | | remember about the game is that players are |
| tie score usually depends on the actual type of game | | | | generally penalized for rough or unfair play with the |
| being player. There are times when the just simply | | | | use of cards. A yellow card is considered a stern |
| ends in a tie score after the regular 90 minutes game | | | | warning, while a red card signifies a serious violation. |
| plus any added time. On the other hand, a game | | | | Once a player receives a red card it means that he |
| ending with a tie score may lead into an overtime | | | | had been ejected from the game and cannot be |
| with an allotted time of extra play leading to penalty | | | | replaced and that leaves the player's team with less |
| kicks, this usually occurs during a deciding game of a | | | | players. Meanwhile receiving two yellow cards will |
| tournament. Each team is given five attempts to | | | | equal to a red card, meaning the player will receive |
| score on the opposing goalkeeper, the team with the | | | | the same penalty. |