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by Richard Leigh

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Soccer is an excellent sport that is played in countries all around the world. To clarify this; every four years there is a 'World Cup' held in which countries the world over fight it out in their quest to become world champions. Italy are the current holders of the World Cup having defeated France in the 2006 final through means of a penalty shoot-out.

If you read that first paragraph and are left wondering what on earth a penalty shoot-out is, then here are the facts about it. In soccer (football as it is often referred to around the world), it is often the case in Cup competitions that if scores are level after the initial 90 minute game (two halves of 45 minute length with a 15 minute break separating them), then the game will either go to sudden death in which a further 30 minutes of football will played consisting of two 15 minute halves, and then onto penalties if the score is still not settled, or the game will go straight to penalties after the initial 90 minute game.

In a penalty shoot-out, each team must choose five players to take spot kicks which are to be taken from the penalty spot which is 11 meters from the goal line. When a penalty is taken the player taking the penalty must take only one touch of the ball, and the goalkeeper must remain on his goal line whilst the penalty is taken. The players job is to kick the ball between the goalposts and into the goal, and the goalkeepers job is to attempt to save the ball from hitting the back of the net and thus helping his time. At the end of the five penalties being taken, the team that has scored the most goals is therefore the winner. If both teams have scored the same number of goals then sudden death is encountered in which further players must take penalties and essentially the first team to miss loses. Both teams must take sudden death penalties consecutively, and if the first team to take misses then the second can win the game by scoring theirs. If however the first team scores and the second team misses then the first team are the winners. If both teams score then sudden death penalties continue to be taken until someone finally misses.

Soccer as we know it today is the most popular sport in the world, it was first codified in England in 1863 by the Football Association (The FA) and they created their 'Laws of the Game'. These rules were the foundations for the way in which the sport is played today, close to 150 years on. Although England was the first to have one, countries around the world now have their own football associations and therefore a governing body was needed in order to oversee the masses.

FIFA are the main governing body of soccer in the world. They are the people responsible for the World Cup I mentioned before, a competition which has been held since 1930. FIFA has 208 member associations which is actually 16 more than that of the United Nations and 3 more than the International Olympic Committee. They hold an annual awards ceremony in which the prestigious 'World Player of the Year Award' is acclaimed. This has been awarded since 1991, during which time both Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane have won three times; the most of anyone. FIFA formed in 1904 and its main headquarters are held in Zurich, Switzerland. FIFAs list of official languages includes English, French, German and Spanish. FIFA has its own anthem also, a Franz Lambert composition. This anthem is played before FIFA arranged matches and tournaments.

Soccer is played with a round ball known as a football which is kicked around the field by the 22 players (maximum) on the field of play. Each team consists of 11 players and for each game 11 players must definitely be fielded. There is one goalkeeper who is allowed to handle the ball within the 18 yard box around the goal, however none of the other 10 players on each team are able to handle the ball anywhere on the field. There are defenders who are designated the role of protecting the goal and stopping the other team from scoring in it, midfielders who can help protect the defence and also supply balls to make goals or attempt to make goals themselves, and then there are the forwards with a designated aim of trying to score as many goals as humanly possible. The more goals scored, the more effective the forward is seen to be.

The reason I said there will be 22 players maximum on the field before is because players can be given red cards for particularly poor challenges that are dangerous and potentially damaging. If a player goes in for a tackle with an intent of malice then they can be shown a yellow card or a red, a red will mean they need to leave the field, and a yellow will require that they spend the rest of the game acting with caution as two yellow cards leads to a red being shown also. So, one red card or two yellow ones means leaving the field of play and reducing your team to ten players or less.

There are professional players around the world, some of which get paid extremely high salaries for their roles. At the time of writing this, the highest paid player in soccer (football) in the world is Ronaldinho of Barcelona, followed closely by second placed David Beckham of LA Galaxy. In 2007 Ronaldinho reportedly netted $29.5 million whilst Beckham came close with his $29.1 million fortune. These are hugely paid professionals, something which goes some way in explaining and assessing the popularity of the great game that is soccer.

Soccer has been played for many years and surely will continue to be played for many years to come as well. I personally am a huge fan of the worlds most popular sport, a sport I take part in personally on a regular basis. I may not play for my country, but to do so would be a great honor. Soccer is a gentleman sport, a sport that can be enjoyed and appreciated by many and one which can be greatly rewarding and hugely fun also. Soccer; it's a game of two halves.

Learn more about this author, Richard Leigh.

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