SOCCER 101...

As we start off the new World Cup season, a lot of ladies (and some gents) have asked for a break down of how the game works and the matches…so here goes. 

First, soccer or football as the rest of the world calls it -- is not just about the hottest most expensive hard bodies sweating out on a grass field playing to get their balls in the opposing teams net…it's about teamwork, international representation and country pride on a global stage. 

SOCCER 101: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO UNDERSTAND THE GAME

1 ) GROUPINGS:

Prior to the cup, FIFA has a series of qualifier tournaments where almost any nation can play. From these, 32 teams emerge and are put into 8 Groups of 4 teams. To make things fair, each groups has one team from the top 7 seeded team (Pot 1) and the host country (in this case Brazil did not have to qualify). Then teams from the respective other Pots (which are based by regions) are chosen.  

World Cup 2014 Pots

Pot 1	Pot 2	Pot 3	Pot 4
Brazil	Ivory Coast	Japan	Bosnia and Herzegovina
Spain	Ghana	Iran	Croatia
Germany	Algeria	South Korea	England
Argentina	Nigeria	Australia	France
Colombia	Cameroon	United States	Greece
Belgium	Chile	Mexico	Italy
Uruguay	Ecuador	Costa Rica	Netherlands
Switzerland		Honduras	Portugal
			Russia

For 32 days, there 32 teams compete in venues all around Brazil—the goal is to win or get as high up in their group as possible.

At the group stage, points are what count

Winning a match = 3 points

Tie = 1 point

Lose= 0 points

The TOP TWO teams in each group advance to the next stage. If there’s a tie…that’s when the goal scored differential starts to count --which is why when teams score big it helps them climb the ranks.

NEXT ROUND of 16: KNOCKOUT PHASE BEGINS

Here the winner of Group A plays the #2 of Group B and all throughout. Rules are very simple, whoever wins advances, whoever loses it OUT.

OVERTIME: If there is a TIE, the game goes into a two 15 minute overtimes with a break in between. Unlike hockey, there is no “sudden death” if a goal is scored but the teams must play out the full overtime. If they are still tied, it goes to a shoot out where each team picks 5 players that go mano to mano kicking the ball at the goal with the opposing team goaltender defending. Winner of the penalty shoot out wins.

NEXT—THE QUATERFINALS, SEMI-FINALS AND FINAL

All which are knockout games. This cup it will look like this:

2) WHAT ARE THE RULES

Matches are 90 minutes long with two 45 min halves with a halftime in between. Each team plays with 11 players (10 players an one goalie) playing at once and substitutions are allowed at any point in the game. The objective of the game: score a goal in opponents net. The game is played kicking the ball or using any part of the body minus the hands when the ball is in play (except for the goalie).

When a ball goes out of bounds, the opposing team throws it back in.

Fouls - Fouls occur whenever a rule in soccer is broken such as a player making physical contact with opposing player. More serious fouls are punished with a red or yellow card by the referee.

Yellow card – Think “warning” to any particular player committing more serious fouls during a game that they run the risk of getting a red card if they continue to break the rules.

Red card - means that the player must immediately leave the game and not permitted to play anymore for the remainder of the game.

Penalty Kick – If a foul has occurred in the area directly in front of a defensive player’s goal, a penalty kick is awarded to the offense of the other team. This allows the other team to score a goal with no other defense in their way besides the goalkeeper alone.

Offside – An offensive player cannot ever be ahead of the defense team (to gain an unfair advantage) Offside is called when an attacking player, receives a pass while standing or running behind the opposing team’s last defender (the goalie does not count). If an offside is called by a referee, the defense gets a free kick at the offense’s goal.

3) LAST BUT NOT LEAST…THE SHIRT EXCHANGE at the end of each match, the players exchange jerseys…the ultimate prize. Sadly, often edited out of the more puritanical countries like the US’s ESPN – this is one of the best traditions of the game (sigh).

Makes you realizes…there are no losers in soccer!! 

Enjoy the cup and all it's bounty!