Football is rightly called the universal game as it is the world’s most popular and highest watched sport among people with having a total viewership of 3.6 billion for the 2018 FIFA world cup alone. More than 200 football leagues (EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A & UEFA Champions league to name a few popular ones) are played throughout the year across the globe and spectators love to watch their favorite players take the field with ball in their feet.

Let’s have a look at the various key rules of football along with the skills required to play the game of football.

Rules of football

Before jumping into how to play football, one should be aware of the football rules that needs to be followed while playing it. Football is played on a rectangular field with distinctly marked two short goal lines and two long-touch lines. The field is divided into halves which are separated by the halfway line that runs from the midpoints of each touchline. At the midpoint of the halfway line is a marked Centre point surrounded by a lined Centre circle with a radius of 10 yards.

The regulation lengths of a standard football field are as follows:

• Field Length & Width: Length (touch line) is 90/120 m and width (goal line) is 45/90 m

• Goal line: At each end of the field is an eight-yard-wide goal centred along the goal line.

• Goal box: Six yards from each goal post along the goal line and six yards out into the field (perpendicular to the goal line) is the goal box.

• Penalty box: Extending 18 yards from each goal post along the goal line and 18 yards out into the field (perpendicular to the goal line) is the penalty box.

• In each of the four corners of the field is a five-foot-high corner flag.

Equipment required to play football

• Ball: A soccer ball must be spherical in shape and made of leather or another comparable medium. Its circumference must be in the range of 27 to 28 inches.

• Players’ equipment: All players are required to wear a jersey, shorts, shin guards, socks and cleats. The socks must cover the shin guards entirely. If the referee deems a player’s equipment unsatisfactory, the player can be sent off until the issue is resolved.

Number of Players & Substitution

• A match is played between two teams consisting of 11 players each (on the field to start the game) and goalkeeper is included in it.

• Three substitutions are allowed per side in a match. Off late, fourth substitution has also been allowed in case the game extends into an extra time.

• If a team cannot field at least seven players at match time, the game is a forfeit.

Match Duration

• A soccer match is comprised of two 45-minute halves, with extra time added for each at the referee’s discretion.

• The halves are separated by a half-time period not to exceed 15 minutes. The amount of extra time is announced and displayed at the half line at the end of each 45-minute period.

• Although soccer does have an allotted time limit, it is ultimately up to the referee’s as to when to end a match.

Penalty Kick

• A penalty kick is awarded either when a defensive player fouls an attacking player or commits a handball in his/her team’s penalty area.

• For taking a penalty kick the ball is placed at the penalty spot, and all players on both teams must remain outside the penalty box during the shot. They may enter the box immediately after the shot is taken.

• The goalkeeper may move horizontally along the goal line before the shot is taken, but he may not come off the line until the ball is struck.

Corner Kick

• A corner kick is awarded to the offensive team when the defensive team plays the ball out of bounds over its goal line.

• The ball is placed within the corner area and is kicked back into play by the offensive team.

• Players can score directly off a corner kick.

Offside Rule in Football

• Offside can be called when an attacking player is in front of the last defender when the pass is played through to them. The offside area is designed to discourage players from simply hanging around the opponent’s goal waiting for a pass. The goalkeeper does not count as a defender.

• To be onside the players must be placed behind the last defender when the ball is played to them. If the player is in front of that last defender then he is deemed to be offside and free kick to the defending team is awarded.

• A player cannot be caught offside in his/her own half. If the ball is played backwards and the player is in front of the last defender then he is deemed to be onside.

Football Skills & Drills

After having a look at various rules of football it’s time to learn the various skills required to the play the game of football. The skills needed to play the game of football are as follows,

• Power: As a football player, one needs to be able to explode quickly and with plenty of power, at every short sprint. For that, the player needs to train his/her leg muscles and core. Well-trained leg muscles helps in increasing the capacity to jump, something that could come in very handy in aerial duels. Power training for football players is aimed at improving performances and not muscle mass only. If a player emphasizes on muscle growth, this could hinder his/her speed and agility, so a right balance needs to be figured out.

• Speed & Agility: To be a good football player, one needs to have a pure sprinting speed combined with the ability to dodge other players and make tackles, which requires agility. On offense, the player should be able to run faster down the field and dodge opponents. While defending, the player should be better able to stay on a wide receiver and track down a running back. Speed & agility drills are designed to work all legs and core muscles, as well as the tendon in the player’s body.

• Dribbling: Dribbling is one of the most fundamental skills which involve keeping the ball moving between the player’s feet by kicking it from one foot to the other. By keeping the ball under the feet, players protect it from defenders and prevent the ball from being stolen easily. Dribbling keeps the ball in motion and allows players to pass it if necessary in order to stay on offense. Better dribbling skills allow the players to execute more creative plays as they can create space and time.

• Passing & Receiving: Passing is one of the fundamental skills to learn to play the game of football. A team that passes well has always greater chances of winning the match as they dictate the tone of play on the field. Some passes are used to create attacking opportunities which helps the team to score goals while some passes are used to slow down the game or maintain possession of the ball for longer periods. The major types of passes used by players during the game includes short pass, long pass, backward pass and chip pass.

• Shielding: Shielding skill helps the player to keep control of the ball and develop the mentality of protecting the ball. The skill of shielding the ball generally goes along while dribbling the ball around cones, which can be thought of as defenders, so that players use both feet (including step over) to get the ball from outside to the inside of the foot.

• Tackling: The skill of tackling is an aggressive act of a defender coming to meet an opponent who is in possession of the ball, engaging him, and then legally using a foot to take the ball away. The most important single factor when it comes to the tactics of tackling is timing. The tackle should be made at the first chance and ideally just as the opponent is receiving the ball. At this time, the opponent’s concentration will be focused on controlling the ball so a quick, unexpected tackle before he has full control will often be successful. Last but not the least, every player should remember that tackling has nothing to do with brutality or verbal conflicts.

• Trapping: Trapping is a way of stopping and controlling the ball to prevent opposing players from gaining possession. The ability to trap – to receive a ball in the air and bring it to the ground using the head, torso, inner thighs or feet – gives you a definitive edge in the game. Importantly, it’s vital to understand that trapping the ball simply involves cushioning the ball’s impact by moving that part of the body or to one side when the ball makes contact with that part of the body. While most individuals tend to think that there is real science involved, it’s vital to note that to perfect this drill; you just need simple repetition and concentration.

• Shooting: Shooting the ball with power and accuracy is an important skill for any footballer and the best way to develop proper technique is by practicing various shooting drills. A good shot includes judging the situation on the field as well as planting your non-kicking foot and snapping your leg forward with power.

• Goalkeeping: Goalkeeping is the most specialized position in the game of football. The goalkeeper's primary role is to prevent the opposing team from successfully moving the ball over the defended goal-line (between the posts and under the crossbar). This is accomplished by moving into the path of the ball and either catching it or directing it away from the vicinity of the goal line. Reactions, anticipation & shot-stopping are the three major skills that each goalkeeper needs to learn while training. The back pass rule prevents goalkeepers handling direct passes back to them from teammates. Goalkeepers also play an important role in directing on field strategy as they have an unrestricted view of the entire pitch, giving them a unique perspective on play development.

It takes a lot of hard work, discipline and practice to perfect the football skills and this can be only done through regular & rigorous skill drills training routines under proper guidance. The drill structure can be prepared as per the footballer’s age and apart from individual skill enhancement, the football drills should be tailored in such a way that it  should result in building a culture of sportsmanship, team spirit & healthy competition among the players.