EnglishDifference between Football and Soccer - Essay Example

A unique type of football evolved in the 19th century by the Americans became known as American football. Having its roots in two games-with its own set of rules - association football and rugby football it is governed by FIFA, or Federation International de Football Association which organizes the immensely popular FIFA World Cup, the sport’s principal event, once in every four years. It also regulates all levels of soccer- including the professional games on the international level, Olympic competitions and youth leagues. America’s National Football League or NFL is the principal professional league in the world, several other leagues forming later in North America and Europe. On par with them is the Major League Soccer with many teams with fans the world over, the most famous ones being A.C. Milan of Italy, Ajax Amsterdam of The Netherlands, Manchester United of England, Real Madrid of Spain, Boca Juniors of Argentina, Sao Paulo of Brazil, and Colo Colo of Chile.

There are certain aspects that are common to both games and there are some differences. What is common to both forms of soccer -association football, and American football is the fact that both require two teams with 11 players each, in which players try scoring a goal by hitting the ball into the opponents’ goal, using any part of their body other than the hands requiring remarkable skills in the use of feet and heads for kicking, dribbling, or passing the ball toward the goal or to another player.

Important contrasts are as follows. Firstly the area of the playing fields differs which for soccer, is 90 and 120 m (100 and 130 yds) long and between 45 and 90 m (50 and 100 yds) wide and for American football is 120 yds (110 m) long and 53 yds 1 ft (48.8 m) wide. While in soccer 11 players serve as goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, and attacker American football has no such clear definitions, the players have to adapt to many roles.

In soccer, a referee single-handedly decides and is assisted by two linesmen signalling when a player is “offside” or when a ball crosses the boundary line. In American football, however, there is a referee, an umpire, a linesman, a field judge, a back judge, a line judge, and a side judge making decisions. The balls are also unique to each sport. Soccer employs a round leather ball measuring 68 and 71 cm (27 and 28 in) in circumference, weighing between 396 to 453 g (14 and 16 oz) and American football is played using an extended spheroid with a circumference of 28.5 in (72.4 cm) around the long axis and 21.25 in (54 cm) around the short axis, weighing about 14 to 15 oz (397 to 425 g).
A set of gear collectively called pads is worn beneath the uniform for protection. Soccer fans are crazy about the colours of their favourite club, erupting stadiums in colour, with yellow and green for Brazil, or bright orange for the Netherlands. Another difference is that soccer players enjoy direct contact with their fans being more easily visible, unlike footballers who are hidden under protective armour.

Matches in soccer last 90 minutes are divided into two 45-minute halves with official youth games being shorter versions of this. There exists a 15-minute break between the halves, called a halftime. The game is extended when there is a tie. In comparison, a regulation football game is divided into four quarters, each consisting of 15 minutes of playing time. Another difference is that soccer players use five basic skills including kicking, dribbling, passing, heading, and trapping with only the goalkeeper being permitted to touch the ball whereas football players use fewer skills with feet and legs.

Both soccer and football are fast-paced contact sports exciting to watch and play. Both games have legions of diehard enthusiasts for whom the game provides real-life drama. Soccer is played and appreciated on a greater scale than football around the world, whether it be the lanes and alleys of Cameroon and Brazil, the famed club grounds of the U.K or the Netherlands, bringing joy to trillions of fans making it hard for football to find a comparable place in people’s hearts.