Soccer

Soccer, also known as football in most countries outside North America, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players each. The objective of the game is to score goals by getting a spherical ball into the opposing team’s net, which is usually guarded by a goalkeeper. The game is played on a rectangular field, called a pitch, with a goal at each end. Players primarily use their feet to interact with the ball, but can also use other parts of their body except for their arms and hands; only the goalkeeper is allowed to handle the ball within the penalty area. Soccer is governed by a set of rules known as the Laws of the Game, which are established by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). The sport is one of the most popular and widely followed in the world, with major international tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup and continental championships. The sport promotes physical fitness, teamwork, and strategic thinking.