100 Facts About Soccer

1. Soccer is the world’s most popular sport, with over 250 million players in more than 200 countries.
2. The FIFA World Cup is the most prestigious soccer tournament, held every four years since 1930, except for 1942 and 1946 due to World War II.
3. Brazil holds the record for the most World Cup wins, with a total of five championships.
4. The first official soccer match was played in 1863 in England after the formation of the Football Association.
5. The Laws of the Game, which govern soccer, were established in 1863 and have been updated periodically.
6. The fastest goal in soccer history was scored just 2.4 seconds into a match by Ricardo Oliveira in 1998.
7. The largest attendance for a soccer match occurred in 1950, with 199,854 spectators at the Maracanã Stadium in Brazil.
8. Soccer is known as “football” in most countries, except for the United States and Canada.
9. The UEFA Champions League is the most prestigious club competition in European soccer.
10. Pelé, a Brazilian soccer legend, is often regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.
11. The first women’s soccer match took place in 1920, featuring teams from England and Scotland.
12. The first Women’s World Cup was held in 1991, with the United States emerging as the champion.
13. The offside rule is one of the most debated and complex rules in soccer.
14. A standard soccer match consists of two halves, each lasting 45 minutes, with a 15-minute halftime break.
15. The largest margin of victory in a World Cup match occurred in 2002 when Hungary defeated El Salvador 10-1.
16. FIFA, the sport’s international governing body, was founded in 1904.
17. The soccer ball used in the World Cup is known for its distinctive design and quality.
18. The first professional soccer league was established in England in 1888, known as The Football League.
19. The term “soccer” originates from an abbreviation of “association football.”
20. The most goals scored by a player in a single World Cup tournament is 8, achieved by Just Fontaine in 1958.
21. The first televised soccer match took place in 1937 in England.
22. Soccer is played on every continent, including Antarctica, where matches are played by researchers at research stations.
23. The fastest red card in soccer history was given just 2 seconds into a match to Lee Todd in 2000.
24. The most goals scored in a single professional soccer game is 149, achieved by a team in Madagascar.
25. The term “hat trick” refers to a player scoring three goals in a single match.
26. The first international soccer match occurred in 1872 between England and Scotland.
27. The longest soccer match in history lasted 35 hours and was played in 1981 in England.
28. Soccer is governed by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which oversees rule changes.
29. The first soccer club in the world, Sheffield FC, was established in 1857.
30. The top five leagues in Europe, known as the “Big Five,” are the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1.
31. The women’s soccer league in the United States, the NWSL, was founded in 2012.
32. Soccer is the official sport of over 100 countries, and its governing bodies are often recognized by their national governments.
33. The World Cup trophy, known as the FIFA World Cup Trophy, is made of 18-karat gold and weighs 6.1 kg (13.5 lb).
34. The record for the most goals scored in a professional career is held by Josef Bican, with over 800 goals.
35. The top goal scorer in World Cup history is Miroslav Klose, with 16 goals.
36. The first-ever soccer club to win the European Cup was Real Madrid in 1956.
37. The concept of penalty shootouts was introduced in 1970 to resolve tied matches in knockout tournaments.
38. The term “own goal” refers to a player accidentally scoring in their own net.
39. The FIFA Women’s World Cup is the most-watched women’s sporting event globally.
40. The highest transfer fee paid for a player is €222 million for Neymar’s transfer to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017.
41. The first soccer match played under floodlights occurred in 1878 in England.
42. The soccer pitch dimensions can vary, but the length is typically between 100 to 110 meters and the width between 64 to 75 meters.
43. The most goals scored in a calendar year by a player is 91, achieved by Lionel Messi in 2012.
44. The first soccer club to adopt a formal code of conduct was Cambridge University in 1863.
45. The term “derby” refers to a match between two rival teams from the same city or region.
46. The first African team to reach the World Cup quarter-finals was Cameroon in 1990.
47. The first soccer game played on a computer was in 1978, known as “Soccer” for the Atari 2600.
48. The largest soccer tournament in terms of participation is the FIFA World Cup, with 32 teams competing.
49. The record for the most goals scored in a single season in Europe is held by Lionel Messi, with 73 goals in 2011-2012.
50. The first Asian team to reach the World Cup knockout stage was South Korea in 2002.
51. The fastest soccer goal by a substitute was scored by Niko Kranjčar just 3 seconds after coming on in 2009.
52. The first soccer rulebook was published in 1863 and contained just 13 laws.
53. The first country to host the World Cup was Uruguay in 1930.
54. The most expensive stadium ever built for soccer is the Wembley Stadium in London.
55. The term “soccer mom” originated in the United States to describe parents who transport their children to soccer games.
56. The first soccer player to earn over $1 million a year was Pelé in the 1970s.
57. The record for the most goals scored in a single World Cup match is 12, achieved by Austria and Switzerland in 1954.
58. The first player to

Soccer, often called the world’s game, captivates billions with its fast-paced action and strategic play. You mightn’t realize it, but soccer has a rich history that dates back over 2,000 years. The modern version of the game kicked off in England in the 19th century, and since then, it’s evolved into a global phenomenon, uniting people from different cultures and backgrounds.

Did you know that soccer’s governing body, FIFA, organizes the World Cup every four years? It’s the most-watched sporting event globally, with millions tuning in from every corner of the planet to support their teams. This tournament showcases the best talent and often brings out national pride like no other event. If you’re a soccer fan, you likely have a favorite team or player, and you might even find yourself passionately cheering them on during matches.

Another interesting fact is that the game’s rules, known as the Laws of the Game, were standardized in 1863. These rules govern everything from how the game starts to what constitutes a foul. It’s fascinating to think that despite the simplicity of the game—just two teams trying to score goals—it’s governed by a detailed set of regulations that guarantee fair play.

You might also be surprised to learn that soccer is played by over 250 million players worldwide, making it the most popular sport. Whether it’s in a professional league or a pickup game in a park, you’ll find people of all ages enjoying the beautiful game.

The skills developed in soccer, such as teamwork and strategic thinking, can benefit you in various aspects of life, both on and off the field.