How to be the Best Soccer? And Soccer Rules?

Soccer rules appear simple. The Game’s Laws, still heavily based on their forerunners from the 1860s, regulate the game across the globe. Although the intricacies aren’t easy, you can learn the basics within a matter of minutes by looking at Beautiful Game.

It’s important to note that soccer doesn’t have rules but instead Laws. The term “laws” implies that there’s something bookish about the game, even though the actual Laws document is only two pages in length compared to other sports. These rules are available via FIFA for all players to download for free.

The first four soccer’s Laws of the Game relating to mechanics. They define the size of the playing field (which could vary based on the stadium you’re playing in) and the ball (which can also vary between 27-28 inches in diameter), each player (eleven for each team) as well as what players are allowed to wear (soccer jerseys, soccer shorts, soccer socks, soccer boots/cleats, and the mandatory shin pads.)

Laws 5 and 6 outline the powers and responsibilities of the referees and assistants (the latter aren’t required in every league but can be used in professional soccer around the world.) Then, how the game started and ended (when the referee detects an offense or the ball goes out of play or when goals are scored) are discussed in-laws seven through ten.

Then comes soccer’s offside rule, an offside rule that is a Law so contentious it is a unique number 11. The rule of offside in soccer can be hard to grasp, but the basics are when a player stands near an opponent’s goal with less than two players in between them and the goal line when the ball has been thrown towards him, he’s committed to an offside offense. In practice, this 99% of cases means that if a striker has only the goalkeeper to contend with whenever the ball has been thrown towards him, he’ll be flagged offside. (Of course, when he gets the ball inside and then is one-on-one with the goalkeeper, then he’s not doing anything wrong and could achieve the goal!)

Laws twelve right through to the final one seventeen – explain the reason the game may be stopped for an offense and explain what happens when it takes place (a free-kick that is either indirect or direct, based upon the seriousness of the offense; or even a penalty kick that is one-on-one against the goalkeeper), and also how throw-ins, goal-kicks, and corner kicks function.

The greatest benefit is studying these laws in the afternoon and picking up the basics that you can grasp quickly. However, in all cases, the most effective method is to sit and watch the game of soccer with the laws in your pocket and refer back to them when needed. You’ll become a soccer master in no time.

There are many types of which range between micro-soccer (3 players) to the more traditional game played by 11 players. FIFA is the world’s soccer governing body, as it’s FIFA that regulates the laws of the game that dictate the way to play soccer from a rules-based standpoint; visit the FIFA site to get an overview of these rules and start understanding the rules.