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Soccer (football) is currently the most popular team sport in the world. Every boy dreams of playing for one of the great teams in the future and becoming a football idol. From an early age, we watch football stars on TV, who charm on the pitch with their skills - formerly Zidane, Ronaldinho, now Robert Lewandowski or Lionel Messi. Learn the history of this spectacular discipline and the rules of the game of football.

Socceris a sport that ignites the imaginations of millions of people. The names of the players are known by fans all over the world, they are role models. They earn gigantic money and are synonymous with success.

Let's get to know the history of football better. In the article, you will be able to learn about its basic rules, types of football games and the best players who, even many years after leaving the field, are still present in the memory of their fans.

What is soccer (football)?

The goal of soccer is to score as many goals as possible into the opponents' goal. For this purpose, various strategies and tactics are used, moreover, the individual effectiveness of players is also of great importance.

Howeversocceris not only a game, but also a cultural phenomenon. It can certainly both connect and divide fans around the world. For many people, it is even an addiction. They want to watch their favorite team or national team play and know everything about each player. There's nothing wrong with it. Provided that these fans know how to enjoy the football celebration of their team's match against others, also against their rivals.

So what is football in essence, besides being a sports discipline? It plays a culture-forming role. He can overcome interpersonal boundaries and connect different cultures and people of different faiths. During the match, when they are rooting for the same team, nothing else matters. It is so amazing that many eminent writers, historians and cultural scientists devote their entire books to the subject of football. Unfortunately, there will also be political aspects. Football influenced politics very often. Resistance movements started in stadiums against governments, against unwanted laws and regulations. Politicians use matches to showon the better side, to be among ordinary citizens and talk to them.

Football also has an educational value. It teaches the youngest how to play fair and how to overcome their own weaknesses. It shows the way to greatness and teaches respect for the rival.

Read also: Test: what kind of fan are you?

History of football

Football as we know it today was born in the British Isles. The first rules of football were established in 1848 in Cambridge.

However, various games with similar rules have been played before, including in Asia. The first balls were made of animal bladders. Over time, both the game itself and the ball intended for it have evolved. The sport was becoming increasingly popular with students at British universities.

The date of initiation of the discipline of football as we know it today is often taken to be October 24, 1857. On that day, Sheffield Football Club was established, considered to be the oldest football club in the world. 13 years later, an English football association called FA (The Football Association) was created. In 1871, the first national football game of the FA CUP was held, in which 15 teams participated. A year later, a similar organization was established in Scotland and the world's first international match ended in a 0-0 draw.

Soccer quickly became the national sport of Great Britain. Thanks to her, many positive social changes took place. The first world championships were played in Uruguay in 1930. The hosts were victorious. The organization that was in charge of the competition at that time was FIFA - and this is still the case today.

Soccer rules

  • Dimensions of the field, goals and ball

The football field has the dimensions of a rectangle, 45 to 90 m wide and 90 to 120 m long (with the proviso that the field cannot be a square, for international matches from March 2008 FIFA has established the dimensions of the fields 105x68) . On the opposite sides of the field of play, in the center of the goal lines, there are goals, 7.32 m wide between the inner edges of the posts and 2.44 m high at the bottom of the crossbar from the ground. no larger than 70 cm, and its weight should be from 410 to 450 grams. At the start of the match, the air pressure inside the ball must be between 0.6 and 1.1 atmospheres.

  • Composition of the football team

Each team runs to the pitch with 11 players. One of themhe is a goalkeeper and has the right to touch the ball with his hands on the surface of the pen alty area. Others, in different positions, form three lines: defenders, midfielders and attackers. During ranking and tournament matches, the coach can only make 3 substitutions. A player who has left the playing fields may not return during the match.

  • Misdemeanors

The rules of football define a number of infractions for which a player can be awarded a yellow or red card. The team receives a free kick or a pen alty kick as compensation for the offense of the opponent.

A yellow cardis a warning to a player, and is awarded for an illegal activity. The referee may take it as a pen alty for misconduct or unsportsmanlike conduct. Two yellow cards during the match exclude the player from further competition and force the team to play weakened.

Red cardand immediately forces the player to leave the field. A referee may convince her for a deliberate foul, very unsportsmanlike conduct or willful violation of the rules. A player who receives two yellow or red cards may not return to the field or be substituted, which means that the team has to play with one player less.

Check: How long is the pause after the red page?

  • Throws

A corner kick is awarded to the team if the ball leaves the end line after touching an opposing player under the goal net. If the situation was reversed, the goalkeeper was restarted 5 meters from his own goal net.

A throw-in is a restart of play when the ball goes over the sideline. The team whose player did not touch the ball last starts.

  • Foul

A foul is the illegal taking of the ball from an opponent, or blocking him when he does not have the ball. The pen alty for this offense is a free kick and may also be a card. The pen alty kick is awarded if a player is fouled in the opponent's pen alty area. It is made eleven meters from the goal. During this time, only the goalkeeper and the performer may be in the pen alty area.

  • Burnt

To explain what an offside position is, I will use the following definition: "An offside position is when, during a pass, a team's player is on the opposing team's side, closer to the opposing team's goal line and closer than the ball. the penultimate player of the opposing team and influences the course of the action. "

Football types and federations in the world

Each country has its own nationalfederation. In the case of Poland, it isPZPN , i.e. the Polish Football Association, chaired by Zbigniew Boniek, once a leading Polish footballer.

There are also continental federations in the world. In Europe, it isUEFAchaired by another prominent footballer, Frenchman Michel Platini. UEFA stands forUnion of European Football Associations .

The world organization is the already mentionedFIFA , i.e.International Football Federation(French: Fédération Internationale de Football Association).

Currently, there are many types of football games. The most common and common are national competitions. They are made up of different leagues. The most important is always the so-calledtop league , its background is the second league. Depending on the country, there may be several leagues. Teams in individual leagues compete for victory in the competition. In the most important league, however, for the title of national champion. As part of league games, you can also find a country cup tournament played between at least two league tiers.

We have different tournaments internationally. The most important ones areChampions League , in which the best European teams play, and the backstage of the competition, that isEuropa League . Additionally, there are also competitions calledClub World Cup(EnglishFIFA Club World Cup ). Seven football teams compete in them: the winner of the UEFA Champions League, winner of the Copa Libertadores, winner of the African Champions League, winner of the CONCACAF Champions League, winner of the OFC Champions League, Asian Champions League and the champion of the country where the CMC is held.

We have the European championship as well as the championship of every continent in our national form. Earlier, qualifying matches for these competitions are played. Identical elimination rules for the World Cup. The national teams also play friendly matches. Recently, an idea was born to create a league in which matches will be played by national teams.

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The best soccer players in history

Thinking about the best players in the history of football, we immediately turn to Brazil and Argentina. The first player to be called the king of football is none other thanPele, or Edson Arantes do Nascimento , a player in the Brazilian national team born in 1940. At the age of only 17, he made his debut for the Brazilian national team. In 1958of the year, he took part in the World Championships, during which he won the highest title together with his friends. After the tournament, he became the star of the Santos FC team. During his national team career, he played at the World Cup 4 times, of which Brazil came back 3 times as the world champion.

Another player who has entered the canon of world football isDiego Maradona . The Argentine is best known for his goal, which he scored in a World Cup match. He explained that God had helped him. Against England in 1986, during a tournament in Mexico, he also scored a second goal after running almost the entire pitch, passing 6 England players along the way. After this match, his goal scored "by God's hand" is known to this day.

Of players who have recently retired from European football,Zinédine Zidaneis worth mentioning. This French footballer of Algerian origin was able to charm on the pitch so well that when he was in shape his team always won. He is best known for his appearances in the royal team, which is Real Madrid. Zidane was its leader and despite the fact that there were many stars on the team, he was the driving force of the entire team. In 2004, Pele placed him on the list of the 100 greatest living footballers in the world. Together with France, he won the World Cup in 1998, becoming the best player in the final. Two years later, France with Zidan in the squad won the championship of the old continent. In 2006, the French again reached the final of the World Cup, where they confronted the Italians. This match was to be the last of Zizu's national team career. It also happened because he ended his international career after the championship. In the final, there was a confrontation with Materazzi, the Italian defender, which upset the French. After hitting him with a "ram" head in the chest, Zidane received a red card during overtime. The Italians won the match after pen alties. Despite this, Zizu was voted the best footballer of the entire tournament anyway.

Currently the most popular and best players in the football world areCristiano Ronaldorepresenting Portugal and Real Madrid,Lionel Messi- Argentinian playing for Bracelona andNeymar- Brazilian from Paris Saint Germain. Poland also has many players who have entered the history of football. Representation consisting of the so-calledGórski eaglescomposed of: Tomaszewski, Szymanowski, Gorgoń, Żmuda, Musiał, Maszczyk, Deyna (K), Kasperczak (Ćmikiewicz), Lato,Szarmach (Kapka), Gadocha defeated Brazil 1-0 at the World Cup in 1974 in the 3rd place match. Thus, it secured an honorable place in the history of Polish football.

Today, the biggest star of Polish football is the forward playing for Bayern MunichRobert Lewandowski .

Read also: 16 interesting facts about football - you surely did not know that!

About the authorTomasz Piotrowski He is a certified personal trainer and nutrition specialist. He gained his knowledge from the best experts in the fitness industry in Poland. He has several years of experience working as a dietitian in a private facility in Krakow and experience in working as a personal trainer. He also writes expert articles on he alth, training and supplementation, and works in the supplement industry. He is passionate about fist fencing.

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