How To Play Soccer

Get a better understanding of soccer rules and soccer positions

Learning how to play soccer is actually quite simple, as there are just a few basic rules and guidelines that you have to follow. If you learn how to play soccer not only will

you enjoy yourself and have a good time doing it but you will also be staying active and keeping yourself healthy, which is just as important if not more so.

The Basics

When it comes to learning how to play soccer, one of the first and most basic things that you will want to learn is how to pass the ball. On learning how to play soccer, passing is really crucial when it comes to keeping possession of the ball during the game. There are many different methods that you can use to pass the ball but there are a few in particular that are considered as being proper for passing it effectively and accurately.

Remember that if you are trying to pass the ball a short distance, it is going to be most ideal if you kick the ball using the inside of your foot, because of the large surface that this will offer for accurately aiming the ball. When it comes to passing the ball longer distances, you are going to want to use the instep to kick the ball and if you need to pass behind you, use your heel.

The officials are a major part of the sport of soccer and are important to learn about if you are interested in learning how to play soccer. The game is regulated by a single head official, who operates in the center of the field, and who is assisted by two linesmen. When a player commits any sort of foul during the game it is this head official, or referee, who will either award the other team a free kick or choose to call for advantage.

Learning the Basic Soccer Rules

Soccer is one of the most popular games in the world, and if you have never played before, then it is important that you learn at least the most basic soccer rules before you try. Generally at the very beginning of any soccer game there is a coin toss to determine which team has the choice of kicking off or picking which goal to defend.

You will generally want to kick off if you win the toss, but often time teams will choose to pick which goal to defend instead, which can work just as well to their advantage in some cases. It is important to take a few basic factors into consideration here when making your decision, such as wind conditions, sun placement, and field conditions for instance, as all of these are going to have an effect on the game and thus on what your decision should be here.

One of the most important soccer rules of all applies here, in regards to how you need to make sure that all of your players are onside during the kick off. Once the ball is rolled forward of the mid-line your players are then able to move around on the field as they like, but make sure that they do not get in an offsides position.

Getting Into the Game

There are many soccer rules that apply during the actual game, many which apply to how to start the game after the ball leaves the field. There are basically three different ways that you can restart a game after a ball has left the field, the first being with a goal kick. When a team misses a shot at goal or kicks the ball beyond their opponents’ goal line then the opposing team is allowed a goal kick.

There is also the option of taking a corner kick, which is when a team kicks their ball across their own goal line and then this is the type of kick that would take place to resume the game. For this kick the ball is placed in the corner arc at the intersection of the touchline and the goal line and then the attacking team kicks the ball.

Finally there is the throw-in which, according to soccer rules, occurs when the ball crosses over the touchline, at which point the team that did not touch the ball last will receive possession of the ball.

Soccer rules are very basic for the most part but there are quite a few of them to learn, and so before you attempt to play in an actual game of soccer you should be at least remotely comfortable with the general rules so that you will understand how to play and not hold up the game or make mistakes.

What are the Positions on a Soccer Team?

To the casual observer, it may seem like there is little rhyme or reason to the positions on a soccer team. It often looks like everyone is just running around! But there are 11 players on a soccer team, and 11 soccer positions to be played.

Goalkeeper

The easiest soccer position to identify is the goalkeeper. Each team has one goalkeeper, whose job it is to defend the net. Goalkeepers are the only players on the team who are allowed to touch the ball, and are allowed to do so inside the entire goal area. Goalkeepers generally wear a different colored jersey than the other soccer positions to distinguish them on the field of play. Goalkeeper is also a highly specialized, highly athletic position; while many players play more than one soccer position, goalkeepers are usually so specialized that it is the only position they play.

Defenders

The next group of soccer positions on the team are the defenders. These players are positioned in front of the goalkeeper on the field, and are the support system for the goalkeeper. Defenders usually remain in the half of the field that they are defending. There are four defender positions on a soccer team. Three of them are the backs – left-back, right-back, and center-back. Much like on a baseball team, where a left fielder patrols left field, each defender takes responsibility for their section of the field. There is also a fourth defender known as the sweeper. The sweeper is a free position – the player is free to move throughout the field – and his job is to "sweep up" any balls that the other three defenders can’t get to.

Midfielders

The next group of soccer positions are the midfielders. The midfielders, who play between the defenders and the strikers, are both offensive and defensive players. They strive to maintain possession of the ball, take the ball from defenders, and pass the ball to the strikers. They are the players who often are involved in the skirmishes on the center of the soccer field. Professional teams often categorize each of the midfielder soccer positions (either by location or focus), but at the lower levels, most teams simply have three or four midfielders.

Strikers/Forwards

The last group of soccer positions are the strikers or forwards. Strikers are the offensive players on the team. They are the players who play closest to the opposing team’s goal, and their main job is to score goals. The center forward plays at the center of this area, while the right-wing and left-wing positions play their respective sides of the field. Strikers are known for the athletic abilities and their ability to score with pinpoint accuracy.

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