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Soccer

Soccer is the most widely played team game in the world and the most popular spectator sport, followed avidly by hundreds of millions of fans. This sport is know as "football" to the rest of the world.

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The Game
The basic objective of the game is for one team to force the ball -- by kicking it or propelling it with the chest or head -- into the opponent's goal. The goal mouth is 24 feet wide and eight feet high, spanned by a crossbar and backed by netting. One point is awarded for each goal scored. The winning team is the one with the highest number of points.

The game is played in two 45-minute halves. Only two substitutions are permitted, per side, per game. If the two substitutions are used and a player is later injured, the team must play short.

If regulation time ends in a tie, an overtime period may be played. If the teams remain tied at the conclusion of overtime, the game may be decided by a kicking contest in which each team has up to five unobstructed (except for the goalkeeper) attempts to put the ball in the opponent's goal.

The goalkeeper is the only player on the team who may use his hands or arms to touch the ball. The other 10 may kick it with their feet, block it with their torsos, or strike it with their head, but no hands.

News, History, and Fast Facts

More sports


Archery

Badminton

Baseball

Basketball

Boxing

Canoeing & Kayaking

Cycling

Diving

Equestrian

Fencing

Field Hockey

Gymnastics

Judo

Paralympics

Pentathlon

Rowing

Sailing

Shooting

Soccer

Softball

Swimming

Synchronized Swimming

Table Tennis

Taekwondo

Team Handball

Tennis

Track & Field

Triathlon

Volleyball

Water Polo

Weightlifting

Wrestling

General Sports Links
Olympians will compete in dozens of sports this summer. Even though Gateway to the Summer Games can't feature them all, you can learn about each and every one by visiting the sites listed below.


Portions of the above text were excerpted from Share the Olympic Dream--Volume II.
© 2001 by Griffin Publishing Group/United States Olympic Committee.

For information on purchasing Griffin materials, please visit the Griffin Publishing Group Web site at http://www.griffinpublishing.com.

 

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