Understanding Soccer: Positions, Rules, and Skills

Player Positions and Roles

The Goalkeeper: Defends the goal, throws the ball out quickly, and guides the team on forming walls.

The Defenders: Typically three or four per team, prevent opponents from overtaking them and getting between them and the goalkeeper. The central defender covers the central area and guards the opposing central striker. Defenders prevent the wings, who are coming in from their side, from entering.

The Midfielders: Attack and defend, constantly moving to distribute the play and link the defense.

The Center Fielders: Organize the attack and must have great physical endurance.

The Wings or Wing Backs: Score or create opportunities to score.

The Center Forward: Must be fast, agile, and skilled at shooting with both feet.

Match Duration and Key Moments

Length of a Match: Two periods of 45 minutes with a 15-minute break. The referee may extend the game time at the end of a game.

Start: A coin tossed by the referee allows the winner to choose the field or the kick-off.

Kick-off: Moving the ball out of the center circle starts the game. Before the kick-off, all players of the opposing team must be in their own half of the pitch.

The Goal: It is considered a goal when the ball has crossed the goal line through the goalposts.

Throw-ins: Are made from the point where the ball left the field and by a player from the opposing team.

Goal Kick: When the ball is kicked out across the baseline by an opponent, any defense player can put it back into play from the middle of the goal area.

Corner Kick (Corner): When the ball is kicked out across the bottom line by a defense player, it is thrown in from the quarter circle in the corner.

Fouls, Misconduct, and Penalties

The regulations establish sanctions for fouls or misconduct. These offenses are punished by:

• Free Kicks: Indirect when the player who gets the free kick is not allowed to shoot at the goal.
• Penalty: When a defender commits the foul inside the penalty area. It consists of a direct free-kick of a stationary ball from the designated point.

Essential Individual Skills in Football

• Skill Acquisition: Guide and master the ball.
• Ball Control: Use all body parts.
• Kicking: Use both feet.
  • Full Instep: Kick shots.
  • Outer Instep, Exterior, Heel.
  • Interior: Precise and short passes.
  • Inner Instep: Long and medium distances.
• The Touch: Essential to master the technical move of passing.
• The Pass: The action of delivering the ball to another player.
• Dribbling: Running with the ball to escape from an opponent.
• Heading: Used to pass the ball to a teammate.
• Shooting on Goal: Used to shoot at goal.

Brief History

The old medieval game was reinstated in Britain during the eighteenth century.

In 1904, it became the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).

In Spain, in 1874.

The definitive regulation of modern football appeared in Manchester in 1882.