Football is a sport. Team sports, where the main task is to score the ball into the opponent's goal more times than the opposing team. A distinctive feature of this sport is that you cannot use your hands. The ball is hammered into the opponent's goal with the feet or other parts of the body, but not with the hands.

History of football

Even before urbanization overtook all continents, ball games were very popular. Even in ancient China there was a ball game, very reminiscent of modern football. Of course, the very form of the game and the rules have changed, but the fact remains. Football as a sport is more than one hundred years old.

Varieties of football

The huge popularity of this sport has given rise to many varieties of football:

- Normal (standard) football. The most popular form of football, and the most massive to date. The team consists of 11 players, including the goalkeeper. The game time is two halves of 45 minutes, unless otherwise agreed by the referee and the participating teams.

- Mini football - a type of football played on small venues, indoors. The ball, unlike regular football, is smaller in size. Hard power moves and tackles are prohibited. There are two teams of four players and a goalkeeper each on the field. The game lasts two halves of 20 minutes.

Beach soccer is soccer played on the sand with bare feet, a light ball. The number of players and all substitutions in the game are in accordance with the futsal rules. The duration of the game is three halves of 12 minutes. The game lasts until the goal. If the game is initially tied, the “fight” goes to the first goal in the “post-match” penalty shootout.

Rugby football is the second most popular form of football. The number of players in each team is 25 people, on a fairly large field. The duration of the game is two halves of 40 minutes. If the teams played in a draw, if necessary, two more halves of 10 minutes are assigned (elimination game). From him came such sports as American, Canadian football, handball and basketball.

- Showball - football in a hockey box with artificial turf. The duration of the game, at the discretion of the players, is two halves of 20 minutes, or four halves of 15 minutes. Here it is possible to play in a "draw", or overtime is assigned. Moreover, when playing in two halves, the overtime time is 5 minutes, and when playing in four halves - 10 minutes. There are six players on the field, including the goalkeeper, from each team.

- Table football (kicker) - a game without gender and age, based on football. Players control figurines of football players mounted on rods with the help of handles. The principle of the game is like in regular football: to score the ball into the opponent's goal. The game is either one-on-one or two-on-two, although four-on-four play is allowed in larger tournaments. The game is played on the score, from 5 to 10, matches up to 1.2 or 3 victories. - Paper and coin football. Players play on a table with homemade gates and a paper envelope (ball) or a coin using their fingers.

Types of football in the world

In addition to the above, there are types of football related to national:
- Australian football ranks third in terms of the number of spectators in the stands. Each team has 18 players, the field is oval. The duration of the game is four periods of 20 minutes. Hard power moves are allowed. Important: the game rarely stops, even despite the injuries received by the players.
- Lelo burti is a team game originally from Georgia, very reminiscent of traditional rugby. The rules of this game are quite strict. There are 15 people in a team. The ball is leather, filled with grass or wool. During the game, players are allowed to knock the ball out of the opponent's hands. The game lasts two halves of 30 minutes.

- Calcio is the "ancestor" of modern football and rugby. The game is played on a sandy field with a leather ball stuffed with goat hair. There are 27 players in the team, each of which has its own task, bringing the player closer to scoring the opponent as many goals as possible. By any means. It is allowed to attack the players of the opposing team who do not own the ball, using wrestling and fisticuffs. The game lasts 50 minutes.

Football rules

Football is a team sport with its own rules. What are these rules? This is the standard regulation according to which competitions are held, the procedure for holding football games. This procedure regulates the number of players, the duration of the game, the size of the field, the size and shape of the ball, the requirements for violations of the rules, etc. To date, the current rules of the game of football have been developed and approved by the International Council of Football Associations.

Basic rules of football

Rule 1: playing field.

The football field is a playing field, has a rectangular shape, with a side line longer than the line. The recommended values ​​are: length - 105 m, width - 68 m, but the field can also be square (90 m each).

The marking is applied in lines, with a width of not more than 12 cm.

The goal area must be marked, within which it is forbidden to push the goalkeeper, as well as the penalty area, where the goalkeeper is allowed to play with his hands.

It is also necessary to have special flags on the field in the corners of the field.

Rule 2: ball.

Football rules stipulate the game with a ball of a specific shape and size. If necessary, the game is stopped to replace the ball.

Rule 3: participants in the game.

The game is played by two teams, each of which has no more than eleven players (including the goalkeeper), with the exception of some national types of football, where a larger number of players is possible. Player substitutions are allowed.

Rule 4: Length of the game.

The duration of the game is two halves of 45 minutes, with a 15-minute break. If necessary, a certain period of time can be added (intervention of doctors, replacement of players).

Rule 5: equipment of the players.

The equipment of the players includes: shorts (underpants), leggings, shields, boots. Goalkeepers are allowed additional equipment, in the form of gloves. It is forbidden to wear jewelry and watches, as well as belts and bandages.

Rule 6: Judge.

The referee on the field monitors the game as a whole, so that the match proceeds according to the rules. The referee's decisions made during the game are final and are not reviewed.

In addition to these, there are the rules of the game of football, which regulate the ball in the game-offside, the beginning and resumption of the match, violations, penalty and free kicks, 11-meter and corner kicks, throw-in.

With the help of this dictionary of basic football terms, you will be able to understand football commentators and articles in sports publications at the "advanced user" level. You will find out who the winger is, what kind of animal this hexa-trick is, where the players have a cheek and much more.

A
Own goal - a ball scored by a football player in his own goal.
The referee is a football referee.
Lease - the transfer of a player from one club to another for a time agreed by the clubs, after which he usually returns.
Arrhythmia is a change (sometimes frequent) in the pace of the game. The arrhythmia may be due to physical fatigue of the players or a deliberate part of the game concept.
Attack - advance to the gates of the enemy.
Out (from the English out, exit) - the ball goes beyond the sideline.
Outside - flank, winger, playing on the right or left flank.
Outsider - the team at the end of the standings.

B
Bank - bench; Goal.
Beck (from English back) - the same as the defender.
Concrete is a deaf defense.
Scorer - a player who scores many goals.

V
Winger (from the English wing, wing) is an extreme attacking midfielder.
Goal (football) - a design of two posts and a crossbar at the edge of the field, where players try to score the ball. Size - 7.32 meters by 2.44 meters.
The goalkeeper is the player who defends the goal.
The second floor is a head game.
Removal - a strong blow in order to defuse the situation (see release); an easy win with a big score (slang).

G
Hexa-trick - six goals scored by a player in one match (rarely mentioned).
Goal (from the English goal, goal) - scoring an opponent's goal, for which it is necessary that the ball completely crosses the goal line.
Goal in the locker room - a goal in the last minute of the first half.
Dressing room goal - goal in the first minute of the second half
Goalkeeper (from English Goalkeeper) - goalkeeper.
Mustard plaster - yellow card (slang)

D
Nine - the slang name for the upper areas of the gate, located to the right and left of the goalkeeper's hands in the immediate vicinity of the crossbar. The name comes from the exercise used in the training process, in which if a player hits the indicated zones, he is awarded 9 points.
Division - a set of teams, compiled according to the sports principle. Sometimes, when forming it, the geographical location of the participants is also taken into account. During the championship, teams of the division meet only among themselves. Related concepts - league, series, etc.
Extra time - time added to the match in excess of the main and compensated, the so-called. extra time. It is usually appointed in order to determine the winner in a match or by the sum of two matches. Extra time consists of two halves of 15 minutes each. In addition, stoppage time may be added to both halves.
Dribbling - the movement of the player in possession of the ball, with the stroke of the opponent player(s)
Double - winning by any team of the championship and the cup of the country in one season; two goals scored by a player during the match; reserve team.
Double-ve - tactical layout of players on the field: 1 + 3 + 2 + 5.

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W
Running in is a technique in which a player without the ball runs past a player with the ball and can receive a short pass from him.
Clamping is a defensive strategy associated with a tight game in one's own half of the field, mainly near one's own penalty area, by almost the entire team. At the same time, the maximum action in the attack is a counter-attack of one or two players.
Defender - a player in the defensive line.
Golden goal - a goal scored in extra time, after which the game ends with the victory of the scoring team (now canceled).

AND
Inside is a slightly pulled back attacking line player located between the attacking line and the midfield line. Plays the role of a liaison.

TO
The captain is the leader of the team and wears an armband that distinguishes him from the other players.
Four of a kind - four goals scored by a player during a match.
Catenaccio (from Italian catenaccio) - a tactical scheme with an emphasis on defense and tactical fouls.
Keeper is a goalkeeper.
Injury time is a well-established term for the time added by the referee to the regular time of the match in order to compensate for various delays caused by player injuries, substitutions, etc.
Counterattack - an immediate transition to the attack after a repulsed enemy attack.
Corner (from English corner) - corner kick.
Coach (from English coach) - head coach (in Britain - coach).
Cross - the joint between the bar and the crossbar.
Cup - a tournament, either entirely held according to the Olympic system, or the decisive matches of which are held according to it. For example, the Champions League, UEFA Cup, Cup Winners' Cup, World Cup, cups of individual countries, as well as a symbolic main prize awarded to the winner of the competition.
Circle - a phase of a group tournament or championship, during which the team meets with all its rivals once; a line (circle) located 9.15 meters from the center point of the football field.

L
Lateral (from the Italian laterale - side) is an extreme defender who actively supports the attack or even covers the entire edge.
Linesman - line judge, side referee, assistant referee.
Legionnaire - a club player who does not have the citizenship of the country in the national championship of which he participates.
Libero is a free defender.
League - the same as division, series, etc.

M
Match - a competition between two football teams during the time allotted by the football rules and the referee. The match consists of two halves.
Off-season - the period of time between championships.
The ball is a sports equipment for playing football.

H
Run-in is a technique in which the player(s) who are not in possession of the ball make(s) a movement into the intended receiving area.
Canopy - from mounted transmission - pass through the air.
Overlay is one of the terms for a dangerous game.
Forward - the player of the line of attack.
A draw is the result of a match without a winner.
Scissors - a technique in which a football player hits the ball when both legs are crossed in the air.
Dive - a way to simulate a violation of the rules in order to "beg for" a free kick; a way of headbutting a low-flying ball in the fall.

O
Defense - the elimination or prevention of the danger of their gates by command forces
Operational space - a zone of the football field, free from football players, into which, as a result of competent technical and tactical actions of the attacking team, a player with the ball breaks in or the ball is delivered to the “running” of the attacking football player.
Regular time is a nominal time span of 45 minutes for a half and 90 minutes for a match. Half time and match always (except in extraordinary circumstances) last at least the specified intervals.
Offside - offside position.

P
Pass - passing the ball from one player of the team to another player of the same team.
Penalty (from English penalty) - 11-meter free kick.
Post-match penalties - a series of 11-meter free kicks awarded in cup matches to determine the final winner.
Penta-trick - Five goals scored by a player during a match.
Transfer - pass.
The crossbar is the top post of the goal.
Break - the time interval between the halves of the match
Interception - interruption of an accurate pass by a player of the opposite team.
Playmaker (from English playmaker) - passer; the player through which attacks most often go; the player making the play (usually an attacking midfielder).
Basement - the lower part of the standings.
Tackle - a method of picking up the ball, in which the defending player in the fall, sliding on the grass (rolling up), knocks the ball from the attacker.
Poucher is a striker who plays on the verge of offside. The goal is to get the ball on the move, break into the free zone between the defenders by accelerating and shoot at the goal.
Poker - four goals scored by a player during a match.
The field is the place where the game takes place. From 100 to 110 meters long, from 64 to 75 meters wide.
Midfielder is a midfield player.
Warning - oral remark of the referee to the player who violated the rules; yellow card.
Pressing is a tactic of collective selection of the ball, creating obstacles for starting an attack.
Pyr (punch with pyrom) - kick from the toe.

R
Frame - gate (yard slang).
Referee - football referee (chief referee, referee in the field).

WITH
Swiper is a free defender.
Free kick is an indirect free kick. A goal after this free kick is scored only if at least one of the players of either team touched the ball during its journey to the goal. If the ball flew into the goal, and the referee did not record this touch, a corner kick is awarded.
Season - a period of time that includes all matches included in the national championship, international matches, the country's cup. The season is usually divided into two parts (circle).
Series - same as division, league, etc.
Crossing - a technique when a player with the ball runs towards a partner and at the moment of approach leaves him the ball or pretends to give a pass, while he continues to move with the ball
Stadium - A sports facility where a match is played.
Stage - a phase of a tournament or championship.
Standard - one of the standard positions in the game - a corner, free kick or free kick.
Gateway - the inner area of ​​the goal (not including crossbars and bars).
Wall - a defensive formation of players, to reduce the area of ​​​​attacking the gate; a technique when one player passes to another and receives the ball from him at another point.
Stopper is a defensive defender.
Stryker (from the English strike, to beat or from the English striker, the hammer) is a pronounced striker, center forward.
Save - a ball unexpectedly beaten off by the goalkeeper.

T
A half is one of the two parts of a football match. A half consists of 45 minutes as determined by the football rules plus stoppage time added by the referee.
Point - a mark in the penalty area for breaking through a 11-meter free kick. To point to a point means to award a penalty.
The transfer window is the period of time when it is possible for players to move from one club to another.
Transfer - the transfer of a player for money from one club to another.

At
Removal - exclusion from the participants of the match for two yellow cards in one match for a particularly gross violation without previously shown yellow cards. When a participant is sent off, a red card is shown and he must leave the field. The referee has the right to remove not only field players, but also substitute players, as well as team coaches.
Cheek kick - a kick performed with the inside of the foot. Mostly performed on the technique.

F
The favorite is the team that has the most chance of winning.
A feint is a deceptive movement, a deceptive technique performed by a football player.
Forward (from English forward) - striker.
Foul (from English foul) - violation of the rules.

X
Hat-trick - three goals scored by one player in one match.
Midfielder (from the English. Half-back) - midfielder.

H
Championship - a competition held using a round robin system. A characteristic feature of the championship can be considered the presence of at least one game with each team in its division. As a rule, the championship consists of several circles.
The attic is the top of the standings.

W
Swede - the outer side of the foot.
Six - the slang name for the lower zones of the gate alignment, located in close proximity to both posts. The name comes from the exercise used in the training process, in which if a player hits the indicated zones, he is awarded 6 points.
The post is the side post of the goal.
Penalty area - the area in front of the goal, within which the goalkeeper is allowed to play with his hands. Any violation of the rules by players in the penalty area of ​​their goal is punishable by the appointment of a penalty kick.

SCH
The cheek is the inside of the foot.

High-quality arrangement of athletes in the playing positions brings the maximum effectiveness of matches, due to the full disclosure of merits. Knowing about the types of roles in football will help you find the best place on the site. Forward, defender and goalkeeper - these are not all concepts. Behind each of them lies a more precise division and specific skills, which should be known not only by the coach who regulates the tactics of the game, but also by everyone entering the field. In total, there are 11 football roles, 10 of which are considered field players and a goalkeeper. In football, the goalkeeper is a permanent role, while the rest must also have some versatility to change positions in football at the right time. You can read more about the principles of football in.

Goalkeeper (goalkeeper) of the football team

The first number in the team is traditionally given to the goalkeeper, because according to some sources, half the success of the entire team lies behind the quality performance of his duties. The most famous football goalkeepers are Oliver Kahn, Lev Yashin. Task goalkeeper (GK, GK, VRT) to prevent the opponent from scoring a goal into the goal. Features include the fact that this is the only player on the court who is allowed to play with his hands, but is prohibited from catching a pass from his teammates with them. For a football goalkeeper, it is mandatory to wear gloves that protect against injuries such as dislocations. Features also apply to football goalkeeper uniforms. It must be different from the whole team. To play in this position, you must have such qualities as jumping ability, high reaction speed, the ability to "read" the opponent's actions and high physical strength to repel a flying ball. In addition, VRT has the ability to score a goal on its own. This is possible if he leaves the gate and enters the field. René Higuita, Manuel Neuer and Jorge Campos had a passion for such maneuvers. Or when making free kicks and long-range shots.

Defensive players (defenders)

Regardless of the location on the field, defender in football- This is a player whose task is to defend and maintain safety from opponent's attacks. This category of players rarely move to the opposite side of the field and participate in attacks. Territorially for backs fixed place on the field between the goalkeeper and midfielders. A football quarterback is sometimes also referred to as fullback. Fullbacks have two defensive strategies - personal defense, during which a certain attacker is pursued, and zonal defense, when everyone controls only their zone.
Right and left defender.
Athletes whose playing roles in football, who are under the second and third numbers in the team, are right (RB/PZ) and left (LB / LZ) defender respectively. They spend most of their time on the side edge of the field or. For which they received variations of the name of their role - brovnik, side or cornerback, lateral. Most often, it is the extreme defenders in football who are the first to meet the attack of rivals. Although they are also used in attacks, due to the possibility of expanding the line of defense, making accurate passes along the top and bottom into the opponent's penalty area. For full-backs, it is imperative to have physical endurance and high speed skills, as well as the ability to perform a large number of interceptions and tackles. Notable sidebars include Cafu, Ashley Cole, Harry Neville, Gareth Bale, Glen Johnson, Roberto Carlos da Silva. A variety of defenders are also flanking defenders. This is a kind of integration of the laterals with the extreme midfielder. Wingbacks in addition to the qualities of LZ and PZ, they have good dribbling skills and high agility, allowing them to go on the attack. It should be noted that there are not so many attacking defenders.
Central defender.
From the name of the role it follows that this player is defending the central axis. In this zone, the “hottest” attack is going on, which means center back (CB/CB) must be powerful, tall and strong, otherwise it will not survive. For central defender Skills such as heading, jumping and tackles are characteristic. Because of this, fives are actively used for corners and free kicks. The best backs include Thiago Silva, Leonardo Bonnuchi. Due to the presence of high leadership qualities stoppers often become team captains. These are Carles Poyul, Nemanje Vidic, Rio Ferdinand. Since the mid-60s of the 20th century, a variety of central defenders in football has appeared - free defender. It is also called libero, sweeper or sweeper. His task is to correct all the mistakes of the defense. A free defender in football is an experienced player who knows how to predict the actions of opponents and members of his team. For his task of “cleaning up”, as well as for the lack of a fixed position on the site, he got his name. Famous football defenders of this type include Franco Baresi, Franz Beckenbauer.

Midfielders in football

The next line of defense is midfielders. Havebacks are located between attackers and defenders, and their playing role changes depending on the situation and strategy in the direction of attack and defense. Their traditional numbers are from 6 to 8.
Central midfielder
Central midfielder (CPU) collects all the qualities characteristic of this role. These are endurance, strength, high speed characteristics, the ability to read the game, good interception, dribbling and passing skills. His main task is to intercept the ball and start the attack from the first movement. Due to the breadth of possibilities of this type of midfielder in football, they are distinguished by the following types:
- Defensive midfielder (DMC). He is breakwater, shuttlecock, steering or lock. Its specificity is defense, namely blocking and pressing attacking players before meeting with defenders. They can also intercept the ball and organize a counterattack. All this requires incredible endurance, physical development and technical savvy from the player. The best defensive midfielders are Dunga, Gilberto Silva, Claude Makelele.
- Attacking midfielder (DAC). He creates game chances to secure a goal, or he can strike himself. In certain tactical formations, the attacking midfielder role is combined with the drawn forward, which has led to the emergence of the term "dispatcher" and "number ten". Since the position on the site of this player is conducive to independent actions and extensive opportunities for making passes. The best midfielders in this position are Kaka, Zico, Pele, Michel Platini. There is also the concept false ten. This is a DAC purposefully going to the flank in the attack, moving the opponent's defense players there.
- Drawn playmaker. Playmaker in football is the creator of the game. His task on the field is to establish the attacks of his team, while playing in the position of a defensive midfielder, but without intercepting the ball. Football midfielders playing in this role are Xabi Alonso, Andrea Pirlo, Josep Guardiola.
Extreme midfielder.
Allocate right and left midfielder in football (MR and LR). These are players who operate near the touchline. This role is the most versatile on the field. Because in some formations, the midfielder is integrated with the winger. These players are called wingers. And above we have already talked about teaming up with a flank defender (wingbacks). All this testifies to the multitasking of an athlete on the side, and the need to be able to play well, both in defense and in attack. "Sevens" have a complex development also in physical characteristics (strength, endurance, speed) and technical (dribbling, passing, passing). The best in this role are David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, Robert Pires.

Offensive Players (Forwards)

Forwards in football are attacking players who are in close proximity to the penalty area. The goal of every football forward or striker is the ball hitting the opponent's goal. In standard arrangements, two attackers are brought onto the field. One pulls the defense over and gives the pass, and the second directly scores a goal. The most productive attackers are called scorers football. Because of the performance of such a function, it is they who become the stars and faces of sports. The best football scorers are Cristiano Ronaldo, Jimmy Greaves, Lionel Messi, Delio Onnis. Just like in other roles, football strikers have a division depending on the purpose and location on the site.
Center forward
At center forward or nines, unlike other roles, the goal is only to attack. His responsibilities include blocking the opponent's defensive midfielders and helping his own, distracting the defenders and causing fouls near the opponent's goal. Centerforward there may be players of different constitutions. Each of them has its own peculiarity of conducting an attack. If he has good speed skills and tactical skills, he maintains a position on the verge of offside. This is the most common style of playing for this type of football forward. In the presence of high growth, impressive dimensions and a developed second floor, it is optimal to stay close to the midfielders. Almost all sheds are oriented towards such a player. If the player is hardy and technically savvy, then the style of his game shifts to the organization of the attack, and partly the defense. This position is called drawn hitter or playmaker. The athlete in this role traditionally wears number 10. The most famous among them are Pele, Lionel Messi, Roberto Baggio. There is also "false nine". This is a center, leading the defense to himself, while he himself does not perform throws at the goal.
Welterweight striker.
Partially obsolete role, as it is used only in some classical schemes. Insides or welter forwards in football, they are between the center and flank attackers and perform assists. Increasingly, they are being replaced by brows.
Extreme striker.
Like other types of flank players, there are right and left winger in football, located on the side of the field during attacks. the main task winger dribbling the ball down the flank and passing to the center to complete the attack. This role can be played by any other lateral, either a midfielder or a lateral.
An experienced coach will help you choose the right position for personal and team football trainings within the framework of the BallGames project.

In the modern world there is a huge number of the most diverse sports, in which hundreds of thousands of people take part, and millions watch their confrontations. And among all this diversity, football stands out the most. This sport is the most popular in the world, it has the most fans, it spins the most money, it attracts the most impressive amount of attention. But what is football? If you do not know this, then it is time for you to deal with this issue. And when you find out what football is, then, most likely, you will want to root for any team, and maybe even play.

What it is?

So, the first question to be answered is what is football. And the answer is much simpler than you might think. This is a team sport in which two teams compete against each other within the same match.

The object of this game is to protect one's own goal from attacks by the opponent, as well as to strike at his goal with a ball that can be touched by any part of the body except the hands. However, as can be understood from the name of the sport (foot is translated from English as “leg”, and ball is translated as “ball”), basically all actions are performed using the legs.

Now it's time to understand the rules of this game in more detail in order to finally understand what football is.

Rules of the game

Football is played by two teams of eleven each, ten of which are outfield players and the eleventh is the goalkeeper. He defends the goal of his team. The goalkeeper, by the way, is the only team player who can touch the ball with his hands, and he must do this only within his own penalty area.

The match lasts ninety minutes and is divided into 2 equal halves, between which there is a 15-minute break. There are a lot of rules in football, so there is no point in describing them all. It is necessary to focus on the most important of them:

1. As you can easily guess, the team that scores more goals to the opponent wins.
2. However, there are a number of actions, such as kicking or handballing in the field, that lead to a penalty kick being awarded. In case of serious violations of the rules, the player who committed the foul receives a yellow card, which serves as a kind of warning. If he commits another such serious foul, he will receive a red card and be sent off for the remainder of the match.
3. If we are talking about a standard match, then it can end in a draw - then each team will receive one point. Otherwise, the winner gets three points and the loser gets 0.
4. If the match takes place in the playoff stage, that is, a draw is unacceptable, after the end of regular time, if the score is equal, overtime is assigned, that is, two more halves of 15 minutes each.
5. If during this time the teams fail to identify the winner, then a series of penalties begins - free kicks from the penalty mark, which are a duel between a player of one team and a goalkeeper of another. The standard number of strokes is 5 on each side. If the winner is not revealed during this time, the teams continue to strike until someone makes a mistake.

Football as a team sport is very entertaining and entertaining, and over time you can get used to the huge number of rules that limit the actions of players. You will learn what an “out”, “offside” is, what tactical formations are and much more. But all this is impossible to describe in detail, so you'd better start watching football on your own.

History of football

However, all the rules that exist in football now were not in it initially. The history of football is quite interesting and unusual. The first semblance of football appeared in ancient China, where groups of people played a team game with a ball, kicking it with their feet.

However, closer to the modern version, this sport appeared in England, this country is most often referred to as the birthplace of football. Then an unlimited number of players gathered on the streets of London, and the rule was one - no rules. Often these "matches" ended in bloodshed, injuries, and sometimes deaths. That is why football was banned for a long time. It wasn't until the nineteenth century that a movement began to make football a full-fledged sport.

Then organizations such as FIFA and UEFA began to appear, each country had its own football federation, and football finally became the way everyone is used to seeing it today. Naturally, the history of football has a huge number of milestones and important moments that allowed this sport to become the most popular in the world.

club football

Now football is played at two levels: club and national. If we talk about the first, here each country has its own championship, which is held annually and lasts about 9 months.

In parallel, the Cup of this country is held, according to the playoff system, and according to the results of domestic tournaments, teams are selected that represent their country at the international level.

The best clubs fight in the Champions League, and slightly less good ones in the Europa League. Top national championships can send up to seven teams to the Eurocups at the end of the season, while smaller countries usually have one or two spots and still have to compete for them in qualifying.

national football

Separately, it is worth talking about national football, that is, about the confrontation between the national teams of the countries of the world. Each state has its own national team, to which players from any clubs that have the corresponding nationality can be invited. The national teams defend the honor of their countries at the World Championship, which is held every four years. European teams also participate in the European Championships, African teams in the African Cup of Nations and so on.

Russian football

And, of course, Russian football deserves special attention. The Russian team is not one of the strongest in the world, unlike the USSR team, which won the first ever European Championship in 1960. Now football in Russia, unfortunately, is in stagnation, and the national team has not been able to reach the playoff stage of any of the major international tournaments for a long time.