Today’s Question: Can you shed light on Soccer rules and regulations?

We all know that Soccer is a fast-paced game played between two opposing teams in two 45-minute halves. Let us see some basic rules of Soccer. Every team has 11 players and they are arranged in a particular manner: 5 forwards, 3 halfbacks, 2 fullbacks, and 1 goalkeeper. Play is started by a kickoff at the center of the field, and the goal of the game is to keep the ball continually moving across the field. The only person who is allowed to handle the ball during the game is goalkeeper.

The team scores one point when the ball is successfully kicked into the opponents’ goal and the team with the higher points wins the game. Incase of a tie of score at end of time limit, overtime may be enacted. Further if the teams still remain tied after the end of the overtime, shootout (kicking contest) decides the winner of the game. In shootout every team is given 5 chances to hit unobstructed kicks at the opposing goal. The team with higher number of shootouts wins the game.

During the game, the opponent may use the intercept of tackling technique (taking the ball away) to gain the control of the ball. The team is penalized if any of its players other than the goal keeper uses their hand. This penalty gives a free kick to the opponent from the place where the rule was violated. It allows the opponents to kick from a close distance of 12 yards by aiming towards the goal, and only a goalkeeper is allowed to guard the net. Players are penalized by indirect free kicks if they violate rules and purposefully obstruct the player or waste the time. Indirect free kick requires one other player on the kicking team to touch the ball before the goal is made.

Timeouts cannot be called by players or coaches. The referees however, do hold the right to call a brief stop play in the incidence of a serious injury or if the ball crosses goal line or touchlines.

When the ball is unintentionally kicked over the touchlines, the opposing player is supposed to throw it in with hands. If it is driven over the goal line, it is put back in play by kicking it from a corner of the field by the opposing team. Hence it is also called as corner kick. A goal kick is made from the area in front of the goal. Usually a goal keeper makes the goal kick but it can be made by any player in the defending team.

There haven’t been many noticeable changes in the game right since the time they were standardized. However, one major rule that underwent change in last century is the offside rule. This rule can declare a player offside, in an unjust position, near the opponent’s goal line. Another not so major change is the rule revision that allows for two substitute players in international soccer.