FOOTBALL - A WORLD POPULAR GAME...

 `Football`, as the name of the game suggests, has a ball that has to be kicked or pushed by the foot. This game, also called `Soccer`, had its origins in England and Scotland. It has a large fan following and violence during a football game between supporters is common.

A  football team has eleven players. The players aim  is to kick the football into their opponents` goalpost. But this is not the only thing to be done. There are many rules and regulations that need to be adhered to.

A football field is on average 100 yards long and 60 yards wide. The field is divided into two equal halves. The center line that is drawn in the field  divides it into two equal halves. The ball is placed on the center line and  is kicked off at the start of the game. The same is done when a goal has been scored.

The football game is played into two halves of forty-five minutes each. Thus a football game lasts for 90 minutes. Half time or a break of five to ten minutes is given between the two halves.

During the game of football, only the goalkeeper is allowed to touch the football with the hands. The group of eleven players are divided into four groups of the forwards, the half backs, the full backs and the goalkeepers. Five players make up the forward line and they carry the ball forward towards the opponent`s goal. Three players make up the back line and tend to paly a defensive game. They help by passing the ball to the forwards and and stop the opposite side players to take the ball into their half. Two players make up the full back line who stop the ball from being carried to their goal. The goalkeeper is there to stop any goal. Only he has the right to touch the ball with his hands or any part of his body. If anyone of the other players tries to touch the ball, then a penalty is awarded in form of a free kick or a penalty kick for having broken the rules. A Player who violates any rule is shown a yellow or red card for the foul on the field.

During the game the teams aim is to score goals and one with more number of goals is declared the winner. As one team tries to take the football into the opposing team`s half to score a goal, that team tries to defend its goal post. If none of the teams is able to gain a goal, then the football match ends in draw.

All that one needs to paly this game, is a football, i.e. an inflated leather ball with a rubber bladder inside. For all of the members of the team, a sense of of sportsmanship, cooperation and discipline is an integral part of the game of football.

Today, World cup matches can be watched all over the world over satellite television channels. It has gained popularity with every generation. Physical exercise, team spirit and working in unity are the lessons we can learn from a game of Football.