Association football, also called just football, is a typical team sport played between two sides of eleven players each. It is the most popular game in the world, with nearly 250 million players currently playing it in more than 200 countries and dependencies. Aside from being the most well-known and the most watched sport, football has a long history that dates back centuries.
Various Forms of Football There are various types of football played throughout the world, depending on where it is and who is playing. Association football is the most well-known type of football. The most well-known teams and leagues are governed by associations, including football associations from various countries. These associations form professional leagues, such as the English Football Association (ECA) and the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFIDA). Most of these associations have their own governing board and players are chosen for their ability on the field rather than on talent alone.
Goals The point system in association football means that each team attempts to score more goals than the other team. The game is normally played in 3rds, or even ties, for goal difference. This is to reduce the possibility of one team winning by too many goals, thus resulting in a draw. The game also uses a timer, which starts when the ball is touched by a player, and stops when the timer runs out. After the timer runs out, the teams switch roles and each team takes a turn trying to score a goal using the players on their teams only. Depending on how well the individual players play, a win or loss may not be enough; if the score goes above or below the goal allowed, overtime will ensue.
Goalkeeper The goalkeeper plays the role of a middleman. He acts as a defensive specialist who protects the goal and tries to prevent the opposition from getting the score they want. A goalkeeper is generally trained to make saves, although he may also use his hands to block or touch the ball. In various forms of football, including Association football, a goalkeeper may only wear protective clothing such as gloves in order to prevent injury.
Refereeing A referee is the most senior official in a match and in association football, he or she usually officiates games between two teams. referees wear head phones to help them communicate with the audience, but otherwise play a non-playing role. The referee’s decisions are final and may not be reversed by any means, even by members of the opposing teams. The game can be stopped for a referee to check on an injured player or if a foul is committed by any player on the field.
Fourth Official Soccer Referee rules include the ejection of a player for misconduct, sending off a team member for a foul, and the sending off of a penalty kick after a foul is committed by a player on the field. Soccer Referees play an important role in controlling the actions of both the offense and the defense by making sure that there are no infringements during the game. Therefore, being a referee is quite demanding and requires great physical strength, as well as knowledge about various aspects of the game, which is why many professional footballers become referees.
