Football at 2008 Summer Games: Football is the most popular sport in the world. The game is also known as “association football” or “soccer”. Football is a ball game, which is played between two teams of eleven players each. The origin of the game can be traced back to the fourteenth and fifteenth century. However, the modern sport event was originated in the late nineteenth century. Currently football or soccer is one of the games, which are played in numerous countries around the world.
Football is played on a rectangular grass field. Object of the game is to drive the ball into the opponent's goal. The International Football Association Board or the IFAB and the Federation Internationale de Football Association or the FIFA are the governing body of the international football.
Football in the Summer Games: Men's football tournament has been held at the Olympics since the 1900 Paris Summer Games. The event was dropped from the schedule only once at the 1932 Olympics. Women started contesting in the Olympic football competition in the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games. The players in the men's football teams have to be less than 23 years of age. However, there is no such restriction for women. Professional footballers can participate in the Olympic football competition.
Rules of Football: The rules of football are determined by the International Football Association Board or the IFAB and the Federation Internationale de Football Association or the FIFA. There are seventeen separate laws which control the entire game of football. Some of the rules followed at the international level are—
The number of players in each football team should be eleven.
The football field should be of rectangular shape. The length and the breadth of the field are determined by the FIFA.
The number of substitution during a match is limited to three in most international and domestic games.
A referee is appointed during the game to monitor the play. The referee is authorized to enforce the laws during the game.
The referee is assisted by assistance referees.
The football match generally consists of two halves of 45 minutes each with a 15 minute half time between them.
The kicks taken by the players are specified by the FIFA rulebook.
The offending movements, which will be penalized during the play, are specified by the FIFA.
Offences committed by the players are generally penalized by offering direct free kicks or penalty kicks to the opponent team.
The players with serious fouls are shown yellow or red card. On receiving a red card from the referee, a player has to leave the field instantly.
Medal winners in Football: Pele, George Best, Bobby Charlton, Johan Cruyff, Bobby Moore, Ferenc Puskas, Gordon Banks, Marco van Basten, Franz Beckenbauer, John Charles, Kenny Dalglish, Duncan Edwards, Eusebio, Tom Finney, Garrincha, JairZinho, Stanley Matthews, Gerd Muller, Michel Platini, Roberto Rivelino, Alfredo Di Stefano, Lev Yashin, Billy wright, Zico, Dino Zoff, Diego Maradona, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, Dida, Samuel Eto'o, Alberto Gilardino, Andrea Pirlo and Carlos Puyol are some of the famous football players of the world. Among the female footballers, Briana Scurry, Heather Mitts, Aly Wagner, Mia Hamm , Christie Patricia Ramponer, Cindy Parlow, Kate Markgraf, Mary Abigail Wambach, Heather Ann O'Reilly, Miraildes Maciel Mota, Marta Vieira da Silva, Birgit Prinz and Isabell Bachor are renowned for their performance at the international level.
