Football course

Football is the most popular sport all over the world. There are 242 million verified football players in the 204 countries of FIFA, and 50 million footballers in the union of UEFA. What is the secret of its popularity? Let’s take a look at the development of this branch of sport from its origins up to the present times.

The history of football: It can be traced back to the prehistoric age. Its history began with the appearance of ball as a means of toy. China: Thousands of years before Christ there was a widespread game caled chu-kuh. It was similar to football and the goal of it was playing tricks with a leather ball stuffed with fur and feather. Ancient Greece: It was called episkuros and teams of 15 people played against each other. The match was controlled by a referee.

Rome: It was called harpastum and mainly played by soldiers. The aim of the game was to pass the ball through the ending line of the opponents. Japan: Japanese played a game called kemari. It was played in a 14m long pitch by teams of 8 players and with a ball of which diameter was 22cm. Italy: It was played mainly at the markets of cities, by teams of 27 people. They had to pass the ball between the two columns owned by the opponents.

England: It’s the cradle of modern football.It flourished among students in the 1820s. Extreme rudeness was forbidden. The size of the pitch and the number of the participant players were decided. 26 october 1896 is probably the most important date in the history of football when the Football Association was established, which served as a pattern for 140 more of that later all over the world making the sport international forever.

One present variation, so that 11 players versus 11 players was formed in the 1870s (though at this time it was played without a goalkeeper, only by 9 attackers and 2 defenders to score a goal.) At the end of the 19th century the well known rules were created penalty kick was intoduced throw-in was introduced penalty was introduced and the goal was provided with net the first referee appeared linemen appeared the present rulebook was published.

Hungary: A book entitled „Athletic exercises” by Lajos Molnár and Ct. Miksa Esterházy mentioned first football, the „English kicking game”. On 19 January 1901 the Hungarian Football Associaton was established.

Nowadays football is the most popular sport, a world championship can be watched by a million people.

Since 1900 is included in the programme of the Summer Olimpic Games.

Rules Size of the pitch: Length (sideline): min. 90 m max. 120 m width (goalline): min. 45 m max. 90 m Each and every line must be equally wide, and this width must be max. 12 cm.

The ball round shaped made of leather or other suitable material its diameter is min. 68 max. 70 cm. In the beginning of the match it must weigh min. 410 g max. 450 g. The atmospheric pressure (at sea level) is atm (600 – 1100 g/cm 3 )

Number of player: Two teams participate in a game, with max. 11 players in each, one of the players is a goalkeeper. A match cannot be started with less than 7 players in one team.

A match consists of two 45 minute long halves unless the referee and the two teams decide otherwise. Any decisions which change the duration of the game (p.e. both halves must be reduced to 40 minutes due to inappropriate light conditions) must be made before beginning the match and adapt to the rules.

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