Football (engl. football, from the words foot and ball) is a team sport that is played between two teams consisting of eleven players. Football is currently the most popular sport in the world. It can be played by people of all ages and both sexes. Often talking about football as "the most important secondary thing in the world." The game is played with a soccer ball on a rectangular court with grass or artificial surface. Goals are placed opposite to each other on the narrow side of the field. The aim of the game is to put the ball into the goal with any part of the body other than the hand. Only the goalkeeper can be in the limited space, the so-called penalty area, and play with hand. The winner is the team that played at the end of the game scored with more goals.
Modern football game is developed in England after the creation of the first Football Association in 1863. The first rules dating from the same year, and with minor changes have been sustained to this day. Largest football body is FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association). FIFA organizes the World Cup, the most prestigious sports event in general.
This sport is represented in the Olympic Games Since 1900, with the exception of the games in Los Angeles in 1932. Before occurrence of FIFA World Cup, the Olympic Games have had status as the largest international competition in football. Today, the status of the most popular sport in the world, football owes to simple rules and minimum equipment. FIFA in 2001 announced that over 250 million people regularly play football in a professional or an amateur club. This year will be held the 20th FIFA World Cup for men which will be held from 12 June to 13 July in Brazil.
Authors: MA Bozidar Dosenovic and Nebojsa Djumic
Publisher: Poste Srpske a.d. Banjaluka