Association football: Difference between revisions

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			The ] called ] in most the rest of the world is called '''soccer''' in the ] and a few other countries. The official English name of the sport is '''Association football'''. The origin of the word 'soccer' is a slang abbreviation of "Association."
	'''Football''' refers to a number of different games, all of which involve kicking (and sometimes passing or throwing or catching) a ball: ], ], ], ], ], ], ].

			See also:
	Depending on which part of the world you live in, the word football when refering to a specific game can mean any one of the above.
			* ]
			* ]
		⚫	* ]

	* In the ] and ], football almost always refers to ] or ], with Association football being referred to as ].
	* In ], football usually means ], although it can also mean ] or ]. The term "Gridiron football" is used to refer to the American form.
	* The rest of the world adheres to the view that football is the sport referred to in this article, Association football.

	Much friendly controversy has erupted over the term ''football'', primarily because it is used in different ways in different parts of the world. Two teams play against each other to score with a ball in the opponent's area. The agreement ends there. Here at ], in the interests of peace among all the peoples of the ], we shall call the American sport ].


	<b>History</b>

	Football ...

	<b>Object of the game</b>

	Two teams of eleven players on each side contend to get a spherical ball into the other team's goal. The side which does this the most frequently is the winner. The primary rule for this objective is that nearly all players cannot use their hands or arms in any way while on the field.

	<B>Oversight</B>
	The game is presided over by a ''referee'', whose decisions are final, assisted by two ''linesmen'', now officially referred to in these days of ] as ''referee's assistants''. In many games a replacement is often available, and he or she is commonly known as ''the fourth official''

	<B>The Teams</B>
	Each team has a goal keeper that is allowed to touch the ball with his arms and shoulders when he is standing within the outer marked area around the home goal, which is called the ] (aka the "box").

	The ten outfield players on either side are not allowed to touch the ball with their arms or shoulders whilst the ball is in play, but may however play it with any other part of their anatomies. The sole exception to this is when the ball is kicked out of play and a ''throw in'' results.

	A number, (variable by league and nation), of players may be replaced by ''substitutes'' during the course of the game. The usual reasons for a player's replacement include injury, tiredness, ineffectiveness, a tactical switch, or to waste a little time at the end of a finely poised game.

	<B>The Pitch</B>
	According to ] regulations the length of the football field for international matches should be in the range (]) and the width should be in the range ]. (For other matches the constraints are looser: 90-120 metres length by 45-90 metres width.)

	The pitch is divided at the centre: this is the ''halfway line''. Exactly halfway across the halfway line is the ''centre spot'' (this is where the ball commences play from). A circle is drawn around the centre spot, the ''centre circle'' which has a radius of 10 yards from the centre spot.

	At either end of the pitch is a goal. This is a letterbox-shaped receptacle with a net behind it whose dimensions are: 8 feet in height and 24 feet in width. Two boxes are marked out on the pitch in front of the goal. The smaller box, which is layed out to surround the goal at an equal distance of 6 yards is to denote where the goalkeeper is to take ''goal kicks'' from. The outer box is known as the ''penalty area'' or the ''18 yards box'', and is set twelve yards to each side of the goal, and 18 yards in front of it. A small hemicircle is also drawn at the edge of the penalty area, the ''D''. This is an exclusion zone for all players other than the one taking the kick in the event of a penalty being awarded.

	The ''penalty spot'' is immediately in the middle of and 12 yards in front of the goal.

	In each corner of the pitch a small quarter circle with a 1 yard radius is drawn where ''corner kicks'' are taken from.

	<B> Duration</B>

	Ordinarily a match lasts 90 minutes (two halves - 45 minutes each) plus 2-5 minutes of injury time. Some games, particularly knock-out competition matches, provide for ''extra time'' in the event of a tied result at the end of normal time. Other variations on a theme such as the ''golden goal'' or ''penalty shoot-outs'' may also be involved in concluding a game.

	<B>The Rules</B>

	...to follow

	<b>Events</b>

	The major international event is the ] which is held every four years and in which 32 countries take part.
	The major club event in ] is the ]

	<b>Influence</b>

	In many countries (mainly in ] and ]) ] is not only a sport but also a way of life. Millions of people go to see the matches each weekend. This has a bad side, as groups of fanatics have often caused disturbances and sometimes tragedies (See ]).

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	Here is a list of links to national league football teams:
	*]
⚫	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]

	]
	----

	Here is a list of links to pages relating to national football teams:

	*]

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	See also ], ], ], ], ]

	Links
	*
	*
	*
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Revision as of 06:30, 27 March 2002

The sport called football in most the rest of the world is called soccer in the United States and a few other countries. The official English name of the sport is Association football. The origin of the word 'soccer' is a slang abbreviation of "Association."