Everyone knows that football (association football, soccer) is the most popular sport in the world. We can be guilty here at Our Sporting Life though of assuming that everyone knows the basics! But if you actually find yourself brand new to playing or even watching football, here are some of the most fundamental rules and gameplay information.
If you’re looking to play, the rules are going to be critical to understand. But even if you’re just watching or planning to get involved in betting on the game, understanding the fundamentals can be really helpful. If you were going to play drops and wins games on an online casino, you would first get to grips with how it works. The same goes for football betting. Therefore, here are some of the most basic and fundamental thing to know about the game we all love – football.
The Objective
Let us start simple. The main objective of the sport is to win the game by scoring more goals than the opposing team. You score the goal when the ball goes into the opponent’s goal after crossing the goal line. As opposed to some other sports, the whole ball needs to cross the line and not just touch it or be halfway over. This is why the modern goal-line technology was so game-changing and beneficial. Back in the day, a lot of irregular goals were awarded, while many goals were not.
Team Composition
Each team is made up of 11 players (10 outfield players, and 1 goalkeeper). The keeper is restricted to the penalty area and is the only one who can use their hands. The rest of the players are split into attackers, midfielders, and defenders and each team may play whichever composition of attackers, midfielders and defenders they wish. So formation is entirely up to the team!
11 a side is the main game. However, lots of variations (5 a side, 7 a side and 9 a side) exist and are widely played.
Match Duration and Kick-Off
The regulation of a standard football match consists of two halves of 45 minutes each. There is a 15-minute halftime break in the middle. Stoppage (injury) time is added at the end of halves to make up for the lost time due to injuries, substitutions, and other delays because the time does not stop like in some other sports. Games begin with a kick-off at the center of the field, which is done after every goal. In some cases, with cup tournaments especially, extra time is added if the final score is a draw where 2 more 15-minute halves are played, extending the game to 120 minutes.
Offside
The offside is a very important rule of the game and one that many fans know nothing about. A player is offside if they are closer to the opponent’s goal line than both the ball and the last opponent’s player (excluding the keeper) when the ball is passed to them. Being in the offside position results in a free kick for the other team. The rule makes for some great tactical moves and formations as the defense tries to “catch” the opposing strikers in an offside trap. Timing is crucial to both set and escape it.
Fouls, Free Kicks, Penalties
Players commit fouls when unfair play occurs like tripping, holding, and pushing opponents. Serious fouls, as well as unsportsmanlike behavior, result in yellow and red cards. Two yellow equals a red after which the player is removed from the game and his team continues as a 10-man squad. A direct red can also happen if the offense is very serious, after which there are game suspensions. If a foul is committed in a penalty area, a penalty is awarded to the attacking team. It is a “free” shot at a goal taken from a spot 11 meters away from the goal line.
More to know…
And yes, there’s so much more to the beautiful game than that. But if you’re brand new, there’s a very basic introduction. Happy football watching or playing!
