The Basics | Polls | More Links

Home

SOCCER WORLD
The Basics

Learn how to play Soccer!

In a standard soccer game, there are 2 teams playing on the court and each having 11 players at the beginning. The game is divided into 2 halves, lasting 45 minutes plus the injury time (around 2-4 minutes, this is a time compensating the time spent on substitutions, throw-in, etc) each.
After the game starts, the purpose of the game is to score as many as possible by sending the ball into the goal, which is located in the middle at the two ends of the field. The one standing right in front of the goal is the goalkeeper. He/she is the only player on the field who can use hands to touch the ball, although still limited to the penalty box. Other players can never use hands. If any player (including the goalkeeper) touches the ball by hand (or violate other rules) outside the penalty area, a free kick will be given to the opposing team, at the point where the rules are violated. If it happens in the penalty area (except the goalkeeper can use hands in this area), a penalty kick will be awarded.
When the ball is out of court at either longer side, it will be a throw-in the court by the opposing team at the point along the side where the ball is out. If the ball passes over the goal line, a corner kick will be awarded at the corner of the field (depends on which side the ball passes the goal line) if a defensive player last touched the ball. Else it would be a goal kick (kicking from the smaller rectangular area in front of the goal)
There is a referee and two assistant referee on the court enforcing the rules of the game. When the players violate the rules, the referee, according to the condition, can give them a warning (yellow card) or directly send the player off the court (red card). If a player gets two yellow cards in a game, he will be sent off the game as if he is getting a red card. The referee is the highest authority in the field.
There is a special but important rule in a soccer game: off-side. In brief, if a attacking player is standing at a position which is nearer to the goal line than any opposition side player and receives a pass from teammates. It is an off-side. This is a rule for the attacking side only, and there are certain exceptions in this rule.