Very simply, the goal (whadda pun!) of soccer is for your team to score more goals than the other team. Each team consists of 11 players who can score a goal by moving a ball into the opponents' net with the use of any part of their body except their arms and hands. You've seen it, you know what we're talking about.
Each game lasts 90 minutes, divided into two halves of 45 minutes each (with a 15 minute break in between where the players consume orange slices). Technically, the clock does not run when the ball is out of play-when it is kicked off the field or picked up by the referee for a substitution or injury-so each half typically runs for more than just 45 minutes. If the game is tied at the end of the 90 minutes, usually it is simply scored as a tie (a la hockey). But what happens in a competition when it is necessary to determine a winner? The tie gets broken by using special rules about extra time and penalty kicks. In a nutshell, this involves a showdown between a goalie and a kicker; whichever team makes more goals wins.
SoYouWanna know more? Check out our full-length article SYW learn the basics of soccer?
