So, you want to be a footballer?

Or at least know the basics to be able to hold your own...

With the World Cup imminently approaching our desert sands, we thought we would put together a handy guide covering the basics of this beloved sport. For those of you that have watched from the sidelines pretending you know the score, this guide is for you.

Male, female, old or young; football is a sport that has always been hugely popular with a wide variety of people; and now, the sport is open to a diverse range of people.  More than ever, everyone is invited to play the game.  But where do you begin? With the basics of course.

The Players

The easiest fact to remember is that there are 11 players on each team.  In addition, both sides have substitutes waiting on the sidelines for a change at a kick of the ball. There isn’t one set formation for a game of football; however, it is common to see a 4-4-2 play on the pitch.

4-4-2

In simple terms: 4 defenders, 4 midfielders and 2 strikers. Its handy to know that even if this formation is in play, all players are allowed anywhere on the pitch.

Some of the positions you might hear being mentioned include: 

Centre Forward

Very similar to a striker. However, a CF might play slightly more forwards, closer to the goal.

Centre Defensive Midfield

Situated in the middle of the field. Defense is the primary goal.  These positions tend to be playmakers, and great tacklers.

Centre Attacking Midfield

Like the CDM, based in the middle of the field. More attack minded, highly skilled at shooting at the goal.

Right/Left Wing Backs

They might not sound like it, but these are attacking positions. Based on the wing of the pitch, running the length of the wing, cutting inside or crossing the ball to the waiting striker.

The Pitch

A traditional football pitch is made up of a centre circle, 2 penalty boxes, one at either end of the field. In each penalty box is a penalty spot, and the 6-yard box.  The length of a pitch must be between 90m and 120m, with the width between 45m and 90m. 

There is a set of goalposts at either end of the field, and that all important penalty spot is 11m directly in front of the goals.

The Rules

I think that we all know the aim of the game is to score more goals than the opposing team. This is achieved by kicking the ball into your opposite team’s goal, making sure to defend your own goal at the same time.

A player can pass the ball to anyone else on the field and is allowed to run with the ball. There are surprisingly few rules when it comes to passing the ball. The ominous offside rule, passing back to the goalkeeper – If you pass to your keeper with your feet, they must play with their feet also.  If you head the ball.  The keeper can pick it up.

The ball is kicked off from the centre spot at the start of each half, and after a team scores.  No players can be in the opposition half when kick off occurs.

A foul can result in a free kick, or a penalty.  A penalty can be given, only if a foul happens in the penalty area.  If the attacking team kick the ball past the goal line, a goal kick will take place.  If the defending team kicks the ball behind their own line, the attackers are awarded a corner kick. 

A tackle is when one player takes the ball away from another players’ feet.  If a player makes contact with the player they are tackling rather than the ball this is classed as a foul.

A goal kick must be taken at the edge of the 6-yard box, by a defender or the goal keeper.

Now there’s lots more to the game, but these are the basics.

FOULS

Here’s a few examples of when a foul might be given…

Fake diving – That’s if a player pretends to be fouled. They might be more worthy of an Oscar than a penalty!

Being offside – You won’t be booked for this, but the opposing team will be awarded a free kick

Foul Throw – Another non bookable foul. 

Handball – You are permitted to touch the ball with your feet, head, chest, thighs and shoulders.  But it cannot touch any part of your arm

Dangerous Challenges – Even if contact is not made, a referee can still award a free kick

Tournaments

There are 3 major tournaments in the UK.  The Premier League, the FA Cup and the League Cup. 

The Premier League is a table-based tournament. The top 20 teams play each other twice, that’s a total of 38 matches every year.  Points are awarded depending on if a team wins, loses or draws.

The FA Cup and the League Cup are knock out tournaments, that include both the top teams across the UK and lower league teams.

There are also European tournaments such as the UEFA Champions League, this is where the best teams from Spain, France, the UK and other European countries compete for the famous trophy.

But of course, as we all know the world’s largest tournament is the FIFA World Cup, with 32 of the best international teams in the world coming together to try and win the coveted trophy, and we at Active Mile are dusting off our country’s shirts, eager for the first whistle to be blown.

Then there’s the offside rule…Let’s not even go there!