Basic Soccer Rules - Learn How to Play Soccer

If you have an interest in playing soccer then the first step is to learn its rules. Some of the rules of soccer are given below.

In soccer we have two teams consisting of maximum eleven players each. You ought to have minimum seven players in each team.There can be one goalkeeper (he is a player who is supposed to prevent the football from entering the net) for each team. Only the goalkeeper wears gloves to use his hands to handle the ball. If a player violates a soccer rule, the referee shows him the yellow card also known as caution. If after getting a yellow card he again violates a soccer rule the referee shows the player a red card. A red card means he is banned from the game and the next game too.

At the professional level, the game is played on a field measuring 90-120 meters long by 45-90 meters wide. Minimum length requirements are more at the international level. Matches are of ninety minutes duration. The match is divided into two halves, with two fifteen minute extra time periods and a penalty kick ‘shootout’ as necessary during matches where the scores are tied.

One must have definitely heard of 'Offside' in football. 'Offside' is a rule violation that occurs when a player is closer to the opponent’s goal than both the ball and the second-to-last opposing player. Players cannot be declared offside if they are in their own half of the field or if they receive the ball from a throw in, corner kick, or goal kick. When a particular player is called offside, the opposing team is awarded an indirect free kick.

Possession is in force when the goalkeeper has at least one hand in contact with the ball and has control of the ball. No charging or touching the goalkeeper in the goal area is permitted. Kicking or attempting to kick the ball when the goalkeeper has a possession is prohibited. A penalty kick is a kick taken from 12 yards in front of the goal as a result of a contact foul or hand ball that occurs inside the penalty area. An obstruction is a foul in which a defensive player, instead of pursuing the ball, illegally uses their body to prevent an offensive player from playing it. A Corner kick is a direct free kick that is awarded when the defending team puts the ball over their end line. The offensive team takes a corner kick adjacent to the corner flag.

The basic items to wear includes a shirt, shorts, socks, footwear and adequate shin guards for the players. Players are not supposed wear or use anything that is dangerous to themselves or other players. Player cannot wear shoes with metal cleats. Shoes with rubber cleats, plastic cleats, or tennis type shoes are approved for use. Rubber-cleated football shoes may be used under the condition that the toe cleat is cut off. All players on a team except the goalkeeper must wear the same color jersey, with numbers. The goalkeeper wears a garment of a different color. The clothing must be easily distinguishable from that worn by the other players and the match officials. The referee must be informed of any change of the goalkeeper. At the end of the game the team, which scores the maximum goals wins the game.