Association football, otherwise known as just football or soccer, is an organized team sport played between two sides of eleven players. It’s played professionally by more than 250 million players across 200 nations and dependencies, making it by far the most popular sport in the world. The word “football” is derived from the German term “Fahre,” which means “forward.” The game of football is often called “football” for the reason that it is played with the use of feet. There are two different types of football; kicking and passing. Both form the fundamental aspects of the game.
The object of the game is for the team on offense to run the ball to the opposing team’s end zone, where the ball will be turned over to the defense for an attempt to kick the ball into the end zone. On the other side of the playing field, the defense is trying to stop the offense from scoring points by putting themselves in the “end zone” of the field. The object of the defense is also to try to stop the ball from being put into the end zone by using their own bodies (the “box”) to stop the ball from reaching the other team’s end zone. In this way, the defense is attempting to put the ball in play at the other end of the field, where the offense would then have to kick the ball to a certain spot on the playing field.
Each team has a total possession of twenty-four hours during a game, per match. The clock is continuously ticking, and play must stop when the team that possesses the least amount of possessions with the ball at the twenty-four hour marker wins a match. If, for any reason, a match is to go to overtime, the sudden-fire rule is used, in which case, both teams must end up with at least one goal, and the match is continued until the game is decided, using extra points (foul shots, field goals, or extra points due to penalties) as the method of decision.
During scrimmages, the coach will usually start the ball rolling by having each player runs a few routes before the ball is snapped. The scrimmages are often used to determine who the starting quarterback will be, and the signal call for that position. The quarterback usually plays during the first quarter, the second quarter, and the third quarter. As the game moves along, the starter will most likely get more comfortable with the offense and will be ready to go for the start of the fourth quarter.
Running backs play an integral role in how a football team operates. They move the football from back to back, catching passes, delivering kicks, blocking for the running back, and catching the ball. Running backs are essential on offense, because the quarterback relies on their mobility to throw the pigskin. The running back is also the focal point of the passing game; if they can’t catch the ball, the passing game will fail.
Linebackers and defensive backs also have an important part in football. If one player (linebacker) doesn’t do their job, then the whole defensive line can’t play their best game. If one defensive player (cornerback) doesn’t do their job, the offense can’t function properly either. Usually a good strong defensive line and a solid secondary are all you need on offense to succeed.