Soccer, more commonly known as Association Football or Football, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players each. It is the most popular sport in the world and is truly global in its reach.
To play football, each team attempts to knock the ball into the goal guarded by the opposing team. The player who is responsible for guarding attempts on the goal is called the goalkeeper or goalie. The goalkeeper is the only player on the field allowed to use his or her hands to manipulate the ball. All other players must maneuver the ball using their feet, legs, and occasionally their torso or heads.
Modern football was codified in England with the 1863 publication of The Laws of the Game. This volume continues to be the cornerstone text governing play to this present day.
While multiple soccer leagues and tournaments exist on national and regional levels, the premier soccer event in the world in the World Cup. The World Cup, held every four years is a tournament which pitches the national teams from 32 qualified nations against each other in competition for the global title.