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, which is guarded by a goalkeeper. Players primarily use their feet to control, pass, and shoot the ball, but other body parts, except for the arms and hands, can also be used. Only the goalkeeper is allowed to handle the ball with their hands, and only within a designated area known as the penalty area.

Soccer is governed internationally by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), which organizes the World Cup and other major international competitions. The sport is played in various formats, including professional leagues, amateur competitions, and youth leagues. The game is characterized by its continuous play, where the clock does not stop except for certain stoppages, making it a fast-paced and dynamic sport. Soccer emphasizes teamwork, strategy, and skill, leading to its popularity worldwide, where it is seen as a major cultural phenomenon.