Association football/Soccer
Association football, soccer, or simply football, is a sport played between two teams. An ancient Chinese game, 'Cuju' or 'Ts'u-chü,' nearly 476 B.C., is thought to have been the earliest form of football. England transitioned football in the 12th century into the game we know today. An international football game is 90 minutes long and is divided into two 45-minute halves.
Football is the most popular sport and the most played game worldwide. It is played by around 250 million players in over 200 countries. FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) is the organization that controls international football and has more members than the United Nations (U.N.). It is played by both males and females.
You may be a football fan; there may still be several interesting facts about soccer you do not know.
Facts
1. Only Americans and Canadians call football soccer.
2. Football players run an average of 9.64 km during each game.
3. Soccer ball was used in the first game of basketball.
4. The first black professional footballer in the world was Arthur Wharton.
5. Pakistan manufactures 80% of the world's footballs.
7. Brazilian footballer Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pele, was the first to call football "the beautiful game."
8. The total length of the football field is 100 (91.44 m) yards.
9. The first annual championship game of the National Football League's Super Bowl was played in 1967.
10. The largest football stadium in the world is Rungrado May Day Stadium, located on Rungra Island, Pyongyang, North Korea.
11. Argentinian footballer Ricardo Olivera made the fastest goal (in 2.8 seconds) in December 1998 against Soriano. It is also listed in the Guinness World Records.
12. German football goalkeeper Oliver Kahn became the first and only goalkeeper to win the Golden Ball in the 2002 World Cup.
14. Most European Teams reached the world cup final, except for the finals of 1930 and 1950.
15. English football club Sheffield F.C. was the world's First Football Club, founded on October 24, 1857.
16. A bolt of lightning killed an entire football team (11 players) in October 1998 when Bena Tshadi and Basanga, two clubs from Congo, were playing a soccer game in the eastern province of Kasai. It was a bizarre incident from soccer history.
17. The size of a football ball is approximately 28 inches in circumference following 120 years.
19. The first live coverage of a football match was shown on television on September 16, 1937, at Highbury. It was a friendly match between Arsenal and Arsenal Reserves.
20. The world's youngest professional football player is Genk-born Bryce Brites', a 20-month-old kid. The Belgian club signed him, which is a historic signing.
22. There are four types of special teams:
- The kick-off unit
- The punting unit
- The punt return and kick-off return unit
- The field goal and extra point unit
23. Italian footballer Dino Zoff who played as a goalkeeper, became the oldest player to win the World Cup at 40 years, 4 months, and 13 days.
24. The international soccer ball is made of synthetic leather. Usually, polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride is sewn around an inflated rubber or rubber-like bladder with a valve. In the past, balls were made from leather and held to shut with cotton laces.
25. There are many shots in soccer, like:
- Standard Shot
- Swerve Shot
- Straight Shot
- Inside Shot
- Knuckle Shot
- Chip Shot
- Bending Shot
- Outside Shot
- Toe Shot
- Full, Flying, Half, and Side Volley Shot
- Back Heel Shot
26. Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir Begovic's goal has been recognized as the longest in competitive football history against Southampton On November 2, 2013. But it was beaten by Koo Sang-min in a match versus Southampton.
27. There are different positions on the Football field, like:
- Goalkeeper
- Right Fullback
- Left Fullback
- Center Back (or Sweeper, if used)
- Defending/Holding Midfielder
- Right Midfielder/Winger
- Central/Box-to-Box Midfielder
- Striker
- Attacking Midfielder/Playmaker
- Left Midfielder/Wingers
28. Top 10 world's most expensive football players are:
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| goal.com |
30. Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score a goal in every minute of a 90-minute football match.
31. Northern Ireland footballer Keith Gillespie is on the list of players who have received the fastest red card in football history. (zero seconds).
32. League 7-a-side competition in Bangkok is the largest-ever football tournament played in 1999. Over 5,098 teams and over 35,000 players had taken part.