Explore the world of soccer and its beautiful history
Soccer, also known as football in many parts of the world, is a popular team sport played by two teams of eleven players each. The objective is to score goals by getting a ball into the opposing team's goal.
Soccer is played on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. Players use their feet, head, or any other part of their body except their hands and arms (with some exceptions for the goalkeepers) to control the ball and score goals.
| No Hands! | Players (except goalkeepers) cannot use their hands or arms to touch the ball. |
| Offside Rule | Players cannot be offside when they receive the ball unless they are in their own half or level with the second-last opponent. |
| Fouls and Free Kicks | Awarded for excessive force, impeding opponents, or intentional handball. The opposing team receives a free kick. |
| Yellow and Red Cards | Yellow cards caution players for misconduct, while red cards result in dismissal. Two yellow cards equal a red card. |
| Throw-Ins | When the ball goes out over the sidelines, a throw-in is awarded to the opposing team. Player throws with both hands from behind their head. |
| Goal Kicks | Awarded to the defending team when the ball goes out over their own goal line after being last touched by an attacking player. |
| Corner Kicks | Awarded to the attacking team when the ball goes out over the defending team's goal line. The ball is placed in the corner arc for the kick. |