Soccer

Soccer, known as football in most countries outside North America, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players each. The objective of the game is to score goals by getting a spherical ball into the opposing team’s net using any body part except the hands and arms, with the exception of goalkeepers who are allowed to use their hands within their penalty area. The game is played on a rectangular field, known as a pitch, with a goal at each end.

Matches are typically divided into two halves of 45 minutes each, with the team scoring the most goals declared the winner. If the match ends in a tie, various tie-breaking methods may be employed depending on the competition rules.

Soccer is governed internationally by FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) and is one of the most popular sports worldwide, with a vast following and numerous leagues and tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup, which occurs every four years. The sport emphasizes skills such as teamwork, strategy, and athleticism.