Facts about soccer

, , Leave a comment

Known as football in certain countries including England, soccer is a game played by 2 teams of 11 players and a ball with each team trying to score a goal over the other team. Of course, today’s rules of soccer are more complicated than just kicking a ball around.

Some fantastic facts about soccer are:

  • The history of soccer is indeterminate. It was seen played as early as 3000 years ago in Asia but the known rules of soccer as played today were founded in England. The Chinese equivalent of the game was called Cuju, played over 2000 years ago. Romans also played a similar game called Harpastum.

  • Soccer players are known to be exceedingly fit as they can run up to 6 or 7 miles in one game. Total game time is ninety minutes with two 45 minute halves and a short break in between.

  • The game is so dynamic that there are almost a 1000 activity changes in every match.

  • A soccer ball is 27 or 28 inches in circumference and weighs 14 to 16 ounces.

  • The basic set up in the game is one goalie who defends the goal post and hampers the other team from making a goal, 4 defenders who help the goalie in his job, and 4 midfielders who pass the ball from their side of the court to the strikers and 2 strikers whose main aim it is to make the goals.

  • There are various rules of the game including no one can touch the ball by hand, no one can knowingly hurt another player and others.

  • The highest achievement in soccer is winning the world cup. The organisation with manages the world cup if FIFA or International Federation of Association Football and it was founded in 1904 in Paris.

  • Europe and South America are most invested in soccer and players are treated as celebrities all their lives. In fact Europe is renowned for one or the other European team always reaching the finals except for 2 years 1930 and 1950.

  • The world cup is played every 4 years and is the most watch sports event in the world. 200 teams compete and only 24 reach the finals.

  • India withdrew from the world cup in 1950 as it wasn’t allowed to play barefoot.

  • Soccer in U.S. is not as popular as in rest of the world and only in the last 30 years has it gained popularity. Maximum interest was generated when famous Brazilian player Pele joined the N.Y. Cosmos team in 1975 but it waned as soon as he retired 2 years later.

  • Some of the most famous soccer players in the world are Messi, Pele, Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Kaka, Ozil. Due to its popularity in South America majority of the best players come from Brazil which has also won the world cup maximum number of times.

The next world cup is to happen in 2014 and will take place at Brazil. It will be the 20th FIFA world cup to take place.

Tea Time Quiz

[forminator_poll id="23176"]
 

Leave a Reply