The World Cup starts with the 32 teams being split into eight groups of four teams. Every team will then play each team in their group one time with the two best teams advancing further in the tournament. The final 16 teams then take part in a single-elimination tournament until there is only one team left remaining.

The 19 different World Cups since 1930 have been won by nine different countries. Brazil holds the record with five World Cup titles. They are also the only country that has been able to qualify for every World Cup in the history of the tournament. Italy is just behind Brazil with four titles. Germany was able to win three World Cup titles. The only other countries with multiple titles are Uruguay and Argentina with two titles each. Spain won the most recent World Cup in 2010 for their only title. They are joined by England and France with one title.

The World Cup continues to be the most watched sporting event in the world. Over 3 million people attended the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and more than 715 million people watched the 2010 final match between Spain and Netherlands on cable tv.

Brazil’s Ronaldo is the all-time leading scorer in the World Cup with 15 goals. He is trailed by Miroslav Klose and Gerd Muller of Germany with 14 goals each. This is not surprising to see since Germany and Brazil have played more World Cup games than any other countries. While they have played the most games, the two countries have only met one time in the tournament. Brazil was able to defeat Germany in the 2002 final 2-0.

Other fouls are more cynical. If a team has been defending but suddenly gets the ball, they will attempt a counter attack to catch out the opposition. This involves running to to the other end, with the ball, at pace. In order to stop counters, players commit cynical fouls and take out the man. These fouls are punished with yellow cards, given their more serious nature.

Fouls in the penalty area are the most serious of the lot. These are punished with a penalty kick. Referees must be careful while giving penalties, as players may sometimes feign contact and go down theatrically. Good referees must be able to spot true fouls from ones that are fabricated by attacking players.

This is why it is always important to trap the ball with the top of your foot. Many make the mistake of trapping with the bottom of their foot. This is a mistake as it will take longer for you to get the ball from under your foot. By trapping properly with the top of your foot, you will be able to seamlessly look upwards and forwards and continue the move with your team.

If you are going to spend hours on one skill, make it trapping. Getting a good first touch will make a monumental difference to your performance on the field.

4-3-3/4-5-1:

These formations can interchange depending on if you want to attack or defend more. Both of these formations involves 3 central midfielders, as opposed to the two in a 4-4-2. This allows the team to control the ball more, especially if they are playing a stronger side. When attacking you can push the wingers up to create a 3 up front, but while defending the wingers drop into midfield to create a 5, leaving a lone striker up front.

How it is played
Soccer is played by two teams of eleven players each.Didn’t catch that? This explains it. The game is played in a rectangular field that is usually made of turf and has two goals on each opposite side. The goal is for the players to kick the spherical ball through the opposing team’s goal the greatest amount of times. Each goal has a goalie that protects it and is allowed to block the ball using any part of their body, including their hands and arms.

Basic Rules
• The size of the field and ball to be used are predetermined by the IFAB.
• A referee and linesmen must be present at every game to signal penalties and when the ball is in and out.
• A kickoff occurs when a segment of a game begins, such as the beginning of each half or after a goal and drop ball occurs when the game has been stopped for a few seconds or minutes.
• When the ball is kicked out of the edges that enclose the game area, the opposing team has the ball.
• There are both penal and non-penal fouls in soccer. These are usually earned through rough play.
• A yellow card is given as a warning for misconduct. A red card means the player is ejected from the game.

The goal keeper is the most easily recognized player on the field. The keeper’s duty is to remain near the goal to block the other team’s shots. Keepers usually wear a different color shirt than the other players. They also wear thick gloves on each hand for protection. They are the only players on the field allowed to handle the ball during live play.

Each soccer team has three to five defenders depending on the formation being played. In most instances, four defenders are used with a defender on the left and right side of the field along with two central defenders.

There are usually four midfield players. They have the same arrangement as defenders except in offensive formations when a midfielder may play directly behind the forwards.

The forwards are a soccer team’s main offensive weapons. Two forwards are normally used. However, it is not uncommon to see a single forward used in defensive formations.

At the top of the list are ankle sprains. It is very easy to roll an ankle while trying to make a sharp cut on the grass of a soccer field. There are also times when a person may sprain an ankle by stepping on the foot of another player. Sometimes ankle sprains are minor, other times they can be more severe.

Hamstring injuries are also quite common. These injuries can happen simply if a person is not warmed up when they being play. They also can come from a muscle imbalance in the legs. A sudden start is what usually brings the injury on. It can be anything from a simple strain to a complete muscle rupture.

Groin pulls are another common injury. Like hamstring injuries, they can result from not properly warming up before play. They can also be minor or severe.

Warming up properly can help prevent some injuries, while other injuries may happen even if the best preventative measure are taken.