Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Required skills
• Method 2 of 2: The rules of the game
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Football is a fun sport with over 200 million players from over 200 countries. It is also called "the beautiful game" because of the combination of technical skills, the necessary interaction with teammates and the individual class of players. If you want to play football you have to train a lot and get faster than your opponents and always have a ball nearby (you may even sleep with a ball instead of a pillow). What are you waiting for? Read this article and learn how to play this sport.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Required skills

1. Learn to dribble like Messi. Dribbling is controlling the ball while you run, if you don't want to lose the ball you must also be able to dribble. Dribbling is touching the ball so that it continues to roll but in a gentle manner so that the ball stays close to you and away from your opponents.
   • You can dribble with the inside of your shoe, with your toe (if your foot is pointing down), or even with the outside of your shoe. The safest way to dribble is with the inside of your shoe, but in different situations you use different ways of dribbling.
   • You have to learn to dribble and preferably as quickly as possible. If you run down the sidelines and you pass your man, your dribbling will look very different than if you were facing a defender.
     • If you dribble more slowly, you often keep the ball to your side so that the defender has no chance of tapping the ball away.
     • If you dribble faster you sometimes play the ball too far ahead of you, usually after you have passed your opponent, you do this so that you can run forward faster, because this is slower if you have to tap the ball every time you run.
2. Learn how to fit. Passing is about playing the ball to who and where you want it. To pass the ball you usually hit it with the inside of your foot, this way you shoot less hard but more focused. Once you've mastered the standard version, you can start trying on other parts of your shoe.
   • Pay attention to where the supporting leg is, you have to put the supporting leg next to the ball with the toe in the direction where you want to shoot the ball.
   • Anticipate where your fellow player is running. Because you often steer the game with your pass, you usually kick the ball to where you want to send your teammate. When your teammate is running, always play the ball in front of him so that they run towards the ball.
3. You have to learn how to shoot. If you are close to the goal you must be able to shoot sharply. In that case you often use the inside of your shoe, just like when you fit, but you shoot harder and preferably also more focused.
   • Place your standing leg and aim the toe at the target while facing the target and then shoot with your other leg.
   • You don't have to run fast, but you do have to pull your foot back and bend it slightly to shoot harder.
   • Hit the ball with the center of your shoe while facing down. Your shoe should keep pointing down once you hit the ball.
   • Use your hips to make the ball float in a specific direction. Place your foot next to your body to be able to shoot even harder, so after your shot you float in the air.
4. Think about moving the ball. Some estimates state that some professional soccer players run 8-10 kilometers in an average game. You run most of this distance when your team doesn't have the ball. So you have to learn to find the free space and dive into this space so that your teammates can pass the ball to you.
5. You also have to learn to defend. Defending is often underestimated but it is still very difficult to take the ball from your opponent and not lose your man in free kicks and corners. There are three things every defender should know:
   • Don't get distracted by all kinds of tricks attackers use to deceive you. Always keep looking at the ball! A good football player tries to get past a defender with feints and tricks. They hope they can mislead you. Don't let this happen, always look at the ball and never at the player.
   • Stay between the ball and the goal. Never let the ball get behind you. This is more difficult than it looks. It is difficult to put pressure on the ball and also not give the attacker enough space to get the ball behind you.
   • Watch the dribble. If an attacker starts dribbling, you should immediately try to take the ball away from him. You just have to get the ball when you get out because if you mow past the ball, the attacker is as good as past you.
6. You have to learn how to head. Always try to hit the ball with your hairline. Never use the top of your head. If you want to head, you should never use the back of your head, rather use your chest to lean back and head forwards. This gives you more strength and reduces pressure on your neck.
7. You also have to be able to keep up. You almost never have to do this in a competition, but if you can, it has the following advantages:
   • If you can keep the ball up, you have more control over the ball and you can easily control a long ball that is being played through the air. Often you are not played on the ground.
   • Keeping up improves your ball control. If you know how to keep up, you can control a ball better. Your first touch of the ball is very important when playing football.
   • Keeping up improves both legs. If you can keep it high, you can also develop your lesser leg. The best soccer players can use both legs well, even though they usually have a favorite leg.
8. Develop your lesser leg. It is important that you can also dribble, pass and shoot with your lesser leg. Good defenders always try to force you to your inferior side so that they can take advantage of your weaknesses and get the ball. If you have a bad leg, you play with a handicap.
   • Practice with your lesser leg by shooting alone and holding it high. A big part of improving is training your muscle memory and you do that by continuing to practice.
9. Practice taking free kicks and corners (aka corner kicks). The purpose of a corner kick is to get the ball into the penalty area so that a teammate can head the ball into the goal. You take free kicks from a distance and usually pass to a teammate, even though some teams use all kinds of variants to confuse the opponent and thus get the maximum return from a free kick. You can of course also just shoot at goal yourself from a free kick in the hope that the ball flies into the goal or a teammate heads the ball into the goal.
10. Develop an original playing style. Try to develop your own style. Are you a player who likes to perform tricks or do you run past every defender at speed? Maybe you prefer to use your body and strength to shoot hard and score? Try to find your strengths and then set goals for yourself to become a better player, and most importantly, remember to have fun. Football is not just the most popular sport in the world.

Method 2 of 2: The rules of the game

1. The aim of the game is to score more goals than the opponent. You score a goal by shooting the ball into the opponent's goal. Goalkeepers are the only players, and only in the penalty area, to take the ball with their hands. All other players are only not allowed to use their hands.
2. Eleven players per team participate in each match. The coach puts each player where he wants, except for the goalkeeper who is always on goal. Normally a team consists of a goalkeeper, four defenders, four midfielders and two forwards.
   • The goalkeeper must ensure that the ball never gets into his goal. This is the only player who is allowed to take the ball with his hands. The keeper must be flexible and able to anticipate quickly and, above all, communicate well with his defenders.
   • The defenders usually have to stay in their own half and ensure that the opponents do not score goals. Usually defenders (and the goalkeeper) are players who are a bit taller and especially physically impressive.
   • The midfielders have to cover the greatest distances because they have to both attack and defend. They are especially good at holding the ball and passing to teammates.
   • Attackers, also known as strikers, ultimately have to score the goals. Above all, they have to be fast and agile and especially good at shooting and heading.
3. Each match has two kick-offs, one at the start of the match and one at the start of the second half. Each team can only kick off once, so either at the start of the match or at the start of the second half. At the time of kick-off, all players from both teams must be in their own half of the field. When the referee blows his whistle and the ball has been touched, all players may move around the field, as long as they are not offside.
4. Offside is one of the most important rules of this game and is intended to ensure that players cannot stand close to the opponent's goal for the entire game.
   • A player is offside if he:
     • Standing in front of the ball, and
     • On the opponent's half stands, and
     • is behind the last defender when the ball is being shot towards him
   • Offside does not apply to:
     • Throw in
     • Corners
     • Goal stairs
5. Any time the ball rolls out of bounds, the team that did not shoot the ball may throw in the ball. The ball is thrown in from where it left the field.
   • A player can run up but must eventually stop where the ball left the field.
   • A player must bring the ball behind the head with both hands and then throw it into the field.
   • A player must keep both feet on the ground during a throw-in.
6. A referee gives yellow cards to players to warn them, two yellow cards equal one red card. A red card means that the player has to leave the field. The following things can get you a yellow card:
   • Dangerous play. This can be done, for example, by kicking too high (at eye level).
   • Obstruction. This is blocking a player by standing between the ball and the player while the player is away from the ball.
   • Running towards the keeper in the penalty area.
   • Playback ball. Picking up the ball by the goalkeeper after a teammate has passed the ball to the goalkeeper.
   • Unsafe play or things like running towards the goalkeeper.
   • If the keeper keeps the ball too long, he will also receive a yellow card.
   • Deliberate delay, usually by the goalkeeper, in order to be able to finish the match.
7. An umpire gives red cards for serious fouls. Usually a red card is the result of two yellow cards. You can get a red card for the following violations:
   • Kick a player on purpose.
   • Jump against a player.
   • Hard income, especially when using the hands (to punch in the face, for example).
   • When a player tackles another player from behind.
   • To trip a player by kicking his heels.
   • Push, hold or spit at a player.
   • Hands. If a field player, not the goalkeeper, touches the ball with his hands, this is hands and therefore a yellow card.
8. There is a difference between a direct and an indirect free kick. A direct free kick is shooting from a free kick without attempting to involve a teammate. An indirect free kick is shooting the ball towards the penalty area in the hope that a teammate can head it in.
9. A foul in the penalty area often results in a penalty. A penalty is the result of a foul by a defender on an attacker in the defender's penalty area. All players except the goalkeeper and the penalty taker must leave the penalty area so that the penalty kick can be taken. The goalkeeper must stand on the goal line and may not move until the ball has been shot. The ball is placed on the penalty spot, which is located eleven meters from the goal line. When the ball has been touched, all players may touch the ball again. This creates tension especially if the ball hits the crossbar or the post and then comes back.
10. There is also a difference between a goal kick and a corner or corner kick. If the ball rolls over the back-line and it was touched last by the defending team, it is a corner kick, if the attacking team last touched the ball, it is a goal kick. In that case, the ball must be shot forward from the penalty area, usually the goalkeeper does this.

Tips

• To play this game you have to be fit, because you run around for 90 minutes and that takes a lot of energy!
• If a ball comes in low and you are a goalkeeper you have to kneel to prevent the ball from going through your legs and turning it into a goal.
• When defending you have to place yourself between the ball and the goal. Don't let the attacker go towards the goal, allow time for the other defenders to come back and help defend you.
• Never jump with both legs because otherwise you will often get a free kick.
• Memorize the tactics.
• Learn tricks and practice them as often as possible so that your defenders can easily pass and run towards the goal. Most players only have two or three tricks they can use so you don't have to learn too many as long as you can do your trick properly.
• When you shoot at the goalkeeper you have to use feints. The keeper then moves too early, after which you can easily shoot the ball.
• Practice slowly at first and then progressively faster to keep getting better.
• Increase your stamina so that you don't have problems with cramps during extensions.
• Ask friends who often play soccer or football to explain the game to you.
• If you shoot the ball you have to lean back slightly when you shoot, this allows you to shoot the ball far.

Warnings

• Never argue with the referee, because you can also get yellow for this.
• This article does not contain all the rules, so look it up yourself if you are interested.
• If you get dizzy, you must report this. You shouldn't play for longer than physically possible.
• If you disagree with a decision, don't whine or fight. The referee will not change his decision anyway, so it makes no sense.

Necessities

• Football
• Football boots
• Shin guards
• Football Socks
• Shorts or training or jogging pants in which you can easily run
• Bottle of water
• Plenty of space, preferably a lawn, without fragile objects nearby such as windows