Soccer is considered all over the world as the “Beautiful Game.” It is one of the few sports that are played by people of all ages all over the world. In fact, in certain parts of the world, no weekend is considered to be complete without either having a friendly game of soccer among friends or watching a professional soccer game at the local pub, at home or right there where the action is.
Whether you want to play soccer or merely soccer bet, you will need to know the basic rules about the game. Here are just some of the rules on how the game of soccer is played to give you a better understanding of the game.
The Players
During each game, there are ten different players that represent each soccer team and one goalkeeper, giving a total of 11 players representing a team on the field during the game. At the bench, each team has a number of players that would serve as substitutes to a player that is currently playing in the field. The number of times a player can be substituted and the number of players that can substitute a particular player in field differs depending on the agreed rules of substitution prior to the beginning of the game for amateur soccer games. However, during professional soccer matches such as the MLS League, a maximum number of three substitutions are only allowed per team during the course of the entire game.
The Equipment
Just like any sport, there are a number of different equipments that are used by the players during each soccer game. Each of these equipments needs to meet specific measurements and requirements to ensure fair play throughout the entire game.
The Soccer Field: The soccer field needs to measure anywhere between 90 and 120 meters in length and 45 to 90 meters in width. It is important to ensure that whatever the length and width of the soccer field may be, it must always form the shape of a rectangle and never a square.
The Soccer Ball: The soccer ball must have a circumference between 68 and 70 centimeters and should have a weight between 410 and 450 grams. The material used for making the soccer ball must be made out of leather or any similar material.
Player’s Uniform: During the game, players are required to wear their official jersey to provide ease in determining the two different teams playing in the field. All teams must have two different sets of uniforms which they can use in the event that they would be competing against a team whose jerseys have similar colors. On top of this, players must ensure that they were protective gear such as shin guards and the proper footwear during the game at all times.
Length of the Game
A standard game of soccer lasts for about 90 minutes having two sets lasting 45 minutes each. In between these sets, there is a 15 minute half-time. Unlike most other sports, the clock does not stop even in the event that the ball is not in play or a substitution is called by a coach. There are some soccer matches that end in a draw. But for soccer matches where a winner must be declared, an extra 15 minutes without any break time is added on top of the 90 minutes to help decide the winner. If after the additional 15 minutes a winner has not yet emerged, a penalty shootout is then carried out in order to help decide the winner of the match.