Official games of soccer rest on 17 "laws" or categories of rules set down by FIFA, its international governing body. The sheer scale of soccer playing worldwide -- FIFA counts 265 million participants -- makes it no surprise that soccer evolves constantly. From time to time, even at the pro level of soccer, trends have dismayed fans and lead to tweaks in the official rules.
United States
Unlike professional soccer in Europe and Latin America, Major League Soccer's season runs from the spring through the late autumn. When it was founded in 1996, the MLS altered FIFA's rules for deciding games tied at the end of regulation time, for substitutions and for timekeeping. The MLS gradually dropped its alternations and aligned closely to FIFA rules from 2000 onward.
The U.S. also spearheaded professional indoor soccer leagues in the 1980s, where teams such as the Baltimore Blast and Philadelphia Kixx featured flashy uniforms, anthem-rock sound systems with sound effects and half-time contests. While derided as "disco soccer" by purists, pro indoor soccer greatly influenced the NBA, the NFL and even Major League Baseball in terms of packaging the game-day experience.
Uruguay and Brazil
Futsal, a five-sided indoor game, began in Uruguay in the 1930s. It exerted a profound influence on Latin American soccer, emphasizing as it does a possession-oriented game involving short quick passes by players cutting and weaving, providing an almost magical display of foot skills to the observer.
Beach soccer has been interwoven for generations with life throughout coastal Brazil, where on any given day, thousands of informal games take place on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, Fortaleza, Salvador de Bahia and anywhere else with smooth sand, six or more people and a ball. In 1992, beach soccer became formalized, with a pilot tournament in Los Angeles, leading to international championships sanctioned by FIFA.
Worldwide
Freestyling is the logical next step from futsal, where foot skills become an end to themselves, to be displayed while practicing, hanging out with friends on the street, in tournaments -- or even television commercials. Nike's lavishly produced, running ad campaign advanced the theme "Joga Bonito," which means "play beautifully." Brazil's Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, France's Thierry Henry and Holland's Edgar Davids, sensationally toned and athletic, inspired soccer players, including United Kingdom-based freestyler John Farnworth, to display moves for their own artistic value.
Europe
Europe, the birthplace of modern soccer and administrative home of FIFA, is where rules changes for international soccer are enacted. Much as controversial plays in the NFL, MLB and NBA lead to rule changes, FIFA keeps an eye on professional leagues, particularly in Europe, and the World Cup for problems that mar the enjoyment of the game and reacts accordingly. Diving by players in Europe and Latin America, where stars theatrically collapse in the penalty area trying to win a penalty kick call, has been an issue for generations. Germany' Jurgen Klinsmann, for example, was dubbed "The Man Who Fell to Earth" by British tabloids after diving in the 1990 World Cup, leading to greater but still sporadic enforcement of FIFA rules against "attempts to deceive the referee by feigning injury or pretending to have been fouled."
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