The Basics of Football

Sports

Football, also known as association football, is a popular sport that is played by two teams of eleven players. It is one of the most popular sports in the world and is played on a rectangular grass field, sometimes on artificial turf. In some countries, goalkeepers use their hands to kick the ball and a flag is attached to the player’s arm to signal a tackle. Other variations of the game include flag football and tag rugby. In rugby, one of the players on the field is called a “keeper” and may tackle another player, while in soccer the ball is kicked by another player and the player on the other side has no such privilege.

The game of football was first played in Scotland in the 15th century. The Football Act 1424 banned the game, but it was repealed a century later. In Aberdeen, schoolboys were noted for playing “football” in the early 1700s. The term “pass” originates from the Latin phrase “huc percute” and “repercute pilam”, which mean “to strike”. Today, the term is used to refer to a pass between two players, even if the two are not in the same team.

In American football, the objective of the game is to score more points than the opposing team. A field goal is scored when a team kicks the ball between two goal posts. In rugby, points are scored by kicking the ball between two goalposts, called a conversion. Similarly, a drop goal is used to score a try in rugby. While the rules for the game differ across countries, their rules are similar in principle.