Soccer is a sport that pits two teams of 11 players each against each other. The point of the game is to get the ball into the opposing team's goal. There are professional and amateur leagues in many countries, and while there are slight differences in how the game is played, the basic rules of soccer applies everywhere.
No Arms
The most important and fundamental rule in soccer is that when the ball is in the field of player, a player cannot use his arms to move the ball. When an infraction of this rule occurs, the referee signals for a handball and gives the ball to the other team.
At first glance, the rule is simple; but the referee can only call a handball if he deems the player to have moved his hand to the ball--this is called hand to ball. If the ball hits the player's arm, it is called ball to hand and is legal. The referee has to use his own judgment to determine whether the player could not react in time to move his arms out of the way, or whether the player hit the ball with his arm to gain an unfair advantage.
There is also another exception --the goalie. Each team has a designated player, the goalie, who is allowed to use his arms as long as he is in the designated goalkeeping area.
Ninety Minutes
A full soccer game between 11 players is separated into two, 45-minute halves. Unlike American football and basketball, the timer never stops--it continues counting even if play is stopped. However, time can be added at the end of each half to account for substitutions, injuries, or another other unexpected stoppage in play. The referee is responsible for keeping count of how much time to add, but it is up to his discretion and does not have to be perfectly accurate.
Fouls and Misconduct
A player is not allowed to kick, trip, hit or push another player. When this occurs, the referee awards a direct free kick to the opposing team. A direct free kick is taken from the place where the infraction occurred. If a player makes a dangerous move or uses his body to halt the run of an opponent, the referee awards an indirect free kick to the opposing team. The only difference between a direct free kick and an indirect free kick is that the team taking the kick can score immediately from a direct free kick, while a second player must touch the ball after an indirect free kick is taken before the team can score.
The referee gives a player a yellow card if he feels the player is committing unsporting behavior or persistently fouling other players. The referee gives a red card when he feels the player has committed a violent conduct or has committed a foul that denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. If a player receives two yellow cards in one match, he automatically receives a red card. A red card means the player has to be ejected from the game and the team will have to play with one less player.
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