The Differences Between Soccer and Football free essay sample

The Differences Between Soccer and Football Football, for many, is a topic of entertainment. In many parts of the world soccer’s official name is football, but with the evolution of American football, the name was changed to soccer. It is thought that American football originated by a soccer player, who was frustrated by kicking the ball. He decided to change the rules of the game by using his hands, and thus, American football was born. Some of the major differences in soccer and football are the equipment players use, techniques for the game, and timing of each game. Even though soccer and football teams are composed of twenty two players, with eleven players on each team, and use a similar field in length and width, the equipment used differs. Soccer players use the traditional round leather ball, which is usually black and white. Gear includes a pair of cleats and shin guards, which extend from the knees to the ankles, to protect the shins, which are the most vulnerable in the game. We will write a custom essay sample on The Differences Between Soccer and Football or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In football, the ball used is brown and oval-shaped, which makes the ball easier to advance through the air; it is characterized by a series of stitches on each side. The helmet is the most important to protect against high impacts to the head and is used in conjunction with a mouth piece and jaw pads. Rib, shoulder, and hip pads are used for the body, since players use full force on each other when tackling for the ball. Football cleats are also needed since the game is often played on rainy weather. Although soccer and football both start with a flip of a coin, the techniques in each game are different. Soccer is played by the name of the game it originated with, which was known as football, using mostly the feet to move the ball towards the player’s net and score a goal; in the game, no arms or hands should touch the ball with the exception of the goalkeeper. In American football, points are measured in yards. The purpose is for players to advance with the ball toward their set goal in order to score points. Players can run with the ball in their hands, pass it, or throw it to the rest of the team players, being careful not to get tackled by their opponents. The timing each game can last differs greatly in soccer and football. Soccer lasts ninety minutes, with two forty five minute halves. The only time the clock is stopped is when the ball is kicked out-of-field while playing or there is injury to a player. If a game is tied at the end, teams play a mini-game of half an hour, or players are chosen from each team to score goals until a winner can be chosen. A football game is one hour, divided into fifteen minute quarters. There is a division after thirty minutes, known as half time, in which players leave the field for approximately twenty minutes. Throughout the game, the clock is stopped for various reasons, and each team can have three time-outs, in which they can stop the game for several minutes. Since football is played in bursts of time, it can last as long as three hours. If the game ends even, teams play an additional fifteen minutes; if either team does not score, the game is considered a tie. Even though football and soccer might have a couple similarities and can both entertain, it is obvious of the many differences between them. Soccer is a simple sport in terms of equipment, techniques, and timing; while on the other hand, football is a tough sport that requires special equipment, complicated techniques, and a longer time to play. Either way, they will both be around making us anxious of the World Cup and the Super Bowl for many years to come.