Football, or Soccer, as it is known in many parts of the world is a sport or game that is played between two teams, each containing eleven players. A rectangular field with goal posts at either end into which opposing teams must kick goals into forms the outline of the game. There are a set of rules governing the game, although much has changed in the way the game is played now.

It is easily the world’s most popular sport considering that over 300 million players from over 200 countries around the world are involved in the sport.

The origin or invention of modern-day football throws up interesting and sometimes controversial details. It was largely believed that Britain or England is where the game was first played in the medieval period and it gradually spread throughout Europe. A game involving a ‘party of boys playing a ball’ was first observed in the 19th century in England. However, the Chinese claim that the sport in England is largely drawn from a similar game played in China several centuries earlier. Unlike most other sports of that time, this was played on ‘foot’ and not on horseback, hence the name ‘football’. But there are vast dissimilarities between the two versions.

The rise and popularity of the game cannot be questioned and several hugely prestigious events and tournaments are held throughout the year in various countries. Professional football has seen the rise of several athletes playing the game at the highest levels with huge fan followings for the numerous teams. The English Premier League football season is a highly awaited even and has football lovers thronging stadiums to witness between their favorite teams manned by professional football players from many nations.

‘Soccer’ is the term associated with football in the US and it is claimed to have been coined from the English shortened slang for its formal name, Association Football or ‘assoc’.

Like many other sports and games where vast amounts of money and authority are involved, football has seen its share of infamy and scandals in recent years. The likes of former FIFA President Sepp Blatter and superstar Michel Platini have been accused of corruption and are facing suspensions and total bans. Several aspects like code of conduct, loyalty, conflict of interest and accepting gifts and commissions are part of the charges leveled against the highest ranked officials in the game.

Over the years, the dominance of South American players in the game has slowly been replaced by several European players but the game continues to be extremely popular even as a street sport as it does not require much equipment or infrastructure.

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There is something about association football that is very appealing. The game is played by over 250 million players in over 200 nations and has the highest television audience in sport. What is it that makes football so popular? Has it still got its sporting spirit?

Unfair play

I’m familiar with football in England both on television and from the stands.

Some maintain that unfair play is spoiling the game. Pundits speak of the so-called ‘tactical foul’ as if it were acceptable. As if taking an unfair advantage is okay. Yet, doesn’t cheating undermine fair play?

We hear of the ‘professional foul’ as when it is said with approval ‘He took one for the team’ for an unfair advantage perhaps stopping a dangerous attack on goal. His offence resulted in a yellow card from the referee.

Likewise, ‘diving’ can be blatant. More difficult to referee is the player who goes down unnecessarily when there is any sort of physical contact with the tackler. This is more common. When a player is apparently injured only to get up a bit later and immediately run at full pelt up the field, fans get very indignant. This is because feigning injury occurs in order to cause a stop in play and give team mates a breather or encourages the referee to blandish a red card sending off the opposing player from the field.

Some argue an attitude of ‘winning at all costs’ sometimes develops and this is killing the spirit of the game e.g. hand-balling the ball into the net. Better to enjoy football for its own sake rather than believing that the only thing that matters is whether we win or lose.

Being a bad loser damages sporting spirit

It’s good to see opposing players and coaches shake hands after a game with both teams congratulating the other for their efforts. Likewise, the crowd claps when a player kicks the ball out of play if a player on the opposing side is hurt so he can get help.

However, bad losers come up with petty complaints about all sorts of things. When winning at all costs rules our hearts, then we will feel really fed up after a loss. Disgruntled with the referee, the substitutions, the bad luck.

But maybe the opposing team deserved to win in all honesty. They didn’t cheat but showed good skill and effort. How many times have you accepted ‘Yes we were we out-played, out-thought, out-run and out-fought: the better team won.’ Everyone is drawn to those who seem honest and fair. Even children know what fairness is and are most upset when cheating takes place.

Verbal abuse in football

Football is only a game. But being hidden in a crowd some individuals want to be verbally abusive. They openly express hostility directed at players of the opposing team, the match officials, or people of a different race to their own. Some fans have been known even to abuse their own players who have made mistakes.

Even in the amateur game, abuse directed at the referee can continue from some players, coaches and fans. Some parents have been heard to scream at and curse referees in front of their own children. Sadly, football culture has its vicious side now.

Loss of community sporting spirit

Being part of a stadium crowd can be a wonderful experience. Just being there, and part of the drama and spirit of the game with its thrills and unpredictability is a huge part of the fun. Living the 90 minutes with its ups and downs and fulfillments and disappointments.

Yet, with no live football on English terrestrial television, people watch the highlights on Match of the Day and seem to be happy just to see the goals and the red cards and penalties and not much else. Even watching live football on pay to view television lacks the communal aspect of football as a sport. Instead of being part of the crowd, the television viewer is watching one place removed.

Loss of competition in football

Modern top-flight football in England has been changed by pay to view television. It has thrown billions of pounds into creating astronomical wages, transfer and agents’ fees. And to some extent all this money has bought success on the pitch and a commercial windfall. Why else would businessmen want to invest in mainly the top Premier League clubs? So much so that others can barely compete and the same few big clubs are there or there about at the top by the end of the season.

Income disparities between the various leagues were once narrow giving lower league sides more of the chance of victory by virtue of having good veterans and talented young players with various cup competitions open to them. Now there is an absolute gulf between the top and other tiers of the game.

When the playing field is so uneven, it unfortunately reduces unpredictability which is vital for the spirit of sport. Matches featuring one of the wealthiest clubs can at times become an exhibition with a forgone conclusion rather than a competition.

Money orientation in football

Average pay in the Premier league is about £200,000 per month, £2.5 million per year. Fans are constantly trying to assess player commitment versus income, fees paid against performance. Some commentators suggest consequently football is now all about knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing. If it is true football has become mostly about money, it appears to be spoiling the top-flight game.

Conclusion about sporting spirit

Sport can be deeply satisfying to play and watch when the sporting spirit of the game is present. This means, being honest with ourselves about our team’s performance, showing consideration for all involved, celebrating ones participation in a shared enjoyment and playing fairly.

«Whatever is good and true, just and fair, and also honourable, has a strong and hidden power within it to attract people’s minds.» (Emanuel Swedenborg, spiritual philosopher)

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I’m pretty sure you have been to some of the soccer betting websites on the Internet. On many of these websites they will offer soccer predictions. The idea of being offered soccer predictions seems like a good idea at first. I mean think about it, you are getting predictions from an industry professional, aren’t you?

You may be getting predictions from an industry professional, but that doesn’t mean the professional necessarily knows what they are doing. Somebody doesn’t have to be a professional in order to provide you with adequate soccer picks. In order for any soccer picks you get to be successful, there are going to be several key components involved.

One of these components would include how well statistical analysis is performed. When expert statistical analysis is performed it is easy to discover various patterns that can be exploited. These patterns alone can help the predictions to be successful in the long run. Soccer predictions can also be based upon situational trends.

Situational trends are what will happen from time to time based on past information. This past information may not have much to do with statistics, but other on the field or off the field factors. Motivation will also play a role. Sometimes a team might be inferior to the other team and they may be fully aware of this.

How do you believe such a team is going to feel when they see in the newspaper the way they are being talked about? Such a team is going to not like what is being said and this may cause them to play their best. Successful soccer predictions can be made based on this alone. It also works in reverse; the psychological health of the superior team must be very strong.

If it is weak then a potentially profitable betting opportunity may present itself. Whatever resource you are receiving your soccer predictions from must have knowledgeable experts who are able to research and discover these deviations. These are the type of deviations that can help you to be successful in a game that very few people win at in the long term.

Soccer picks are not guaranteed by a long shot, but if you have the right people doing the right research you can make a potential killing. Just don’t expect for all of the soccer predictions you receive from whatever resource you’re using to be successful 100% of the time.

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The gulf between rich and poor clubs has never been greater. The amount of money circulating in the game has never been greater. The amount of players instantly becoming multi millionaires and buying fast cars and large mansions have never been greater. However, more sadly, the amount of clubs, especially ones with a lot of prestige and history behind them, going under have never been greater.

There’s always something wrong in seeing a football club, especially one which gets packed houses, struggle to break even and compete for a title. Just as the amount of money circulating has increased, the cost of staying in the game has increased as well.

Such large increases in wages put smaller, less rich clubs at a serious disadvantage in terms of challenging for titles and championships. As a result, many of these clubs have been forced to take financial gambles to be able to attract good enough players to remain competitive. This has backfired for some clubs such as Leeds United who in the space of 5 years went from being in the Champions League semi final to the English third division.

The question remains, can this wage spiral be controlled so that it no longer harms the smaller clubs? The answer is yes, and in football it’s being used in just 2 countries in the world: the USA and Australia. Both Major League Soccer and A-League used what is known as a salary cap, which is a limit as to how much a club can spend on players’ wages on a yearly basis.

The main advantage of such a system is that it ensures that each team is competitive despite their revenue and profits. It ensures parity and equity for the players and keeps the fans on the edge of their seats when it comes to challenging for the title as no one is shoo-in.

The major disadvantage of having a salary cap system in place is that it becomes very difficult for a club to retain its players. As a result, championship-winning teams rarely do stay together for another season. This is exactly what happened when Melbourne Victory won the 2006/07 in dominating fashion. The exodus of various players led to Victory having a disastrous season in 2007/08. The salary cap is an even greater disadvantage in football especially if other leagues do not have a salary cap themselves. As a result, the best players and talent will be taken away from leagues with salary caps, leaving fans with the leftovers.

Nevertheless, the risk of losing talent is not greater than the risk of losing clubs forever. While it may be a tragedy for clubs to lose star players due to a salary cap, it will surely ensure that fans still have a club to support.

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The Wales national football team don’t have the greatest history as a far football is concerned, they have only qualified for one World Cup Finals in 1958, where they were beaten 1-0 in the quarter finals, by the eventual winners Brazil.

In 1977 Wales played Scotland in a World Cup qualifying match, which, had they won, would have seen Wales reach the World Cup Finals in Argentina in 1978. A hand ball by Joe Jordan was to prove a decisive factor in the game, which Scotland won.

Even before the game, Wales were to lose their home ‘advantage’ when the fixture was re-scheduled to be played at Anfield, England, rather than in Wales at Wrexham’s Racecourse Ground. This followed the Football Association of Wales’ decision to move the game to secure a larger crowd and to make more money. A huge number of Scottish fans attended the game, far more than would ever have been possible at Wrexham, which created a very hostile atmosphere for the Welsh players who were also playing on an unfamiliar pitch.

The game itself remained goalless until, in the 78th minute, came the fateful moment for Wales following an incident with Scotland’s Joe Jordan

The Scotland striker, Jordan, jumped with Wales defender David Jones to challenge for a long throw-in into the Welsh penalty area, with Jordan then deliberately punching the ball towards the Welsh goal, to the astonishment of the Welsh fans and players, the French referee Robert Wurtz awarded a penalty. Television replays clearly showed it was Jordan’s and not Jones’ hand that had touched the ball, but the referee had made his decision.

Scotland’s Don Masson scored the penalty, which broke Wale’s hearts, and with minutes remaining as Wales pushed forward in search of an equalising goal, Kenny Dalglish scored a second goal and the Wales dream was over and it was Scotland who would go to the World Cup finals.

Prior to the game everyone in the Wales was talking about Argentina and the World Cup finals and many still feel upset about the incident to this day.

To rub salt into the Welsh wounds, Joe Jordan refuses to own up to his handball and has never apologised.

Diego Maradona was famously involved in a handball incident in the 1986 World Cup when he scored a goal against England, and then claimed it was the ‘hand of God’ that had intervened.

More recent ‘handball’ incidents include that of Thierry Henry in the qualifying game against Ireland for the 2010 World Cup Finals, which have now eclipsed Wales’ injustice, and while Joe Jordan has made never made any claims of divine intervention, he will be fortunate to find any Wales supporters who will forgive him easily.

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Stamford Bridge will be witness to a big match day when Liverpool travel to face Chelsea, on Saturday, November 19, 2011, in match week 12.

Villas-Boas’ men are coming off a 1-0 win away at Blackburn, on the back of Lampard’s 52nd minute header. It was an unconvincing performance by the Stamford Bridge squad for whom the game was a must-win, after consecutive league defeats, including a 5-3 loss at home to Arsenal. The visitors were colourless in the first half; after a first minute scoring opportunity to Sturridge that was saved by Robinson, the hosts dominated possession.

Chelsea were lucky to see a shot from Yakubu go wide as he reached out to prod a cross from Formica home. Sturridge was the outstanding player for Chelsea, and he came close to winning a penalty, and had another scoring attempt. Rovers almost equalised on 86 minutes when the ball ricocheted off the underside of the bar after Ivanovic’s muffed an attempted clearance off a Pedersen corner.

Liverpool played out a 0-0 stalemate against Swansea, at Anfield, in match week 11. The hosts failed to breach a Swansea defence on a day that will be remembered for Andy Carroll’s missed scoring chance more than anything else. This was Liverpool’s third consecutive home draw that had several other scoring opportunities squandered, including one by Routledge for Swansea, and Liverpool were lucky not to concede and had Reina between the posts to thank for a brilliant one-handed save that kept Routledge’s shot from doing damage.

Head to head, Chelsea and Liverpool have met 18 times, in the Premier League, and Chelsea have won on 9 of those occasions, while Liverpool have won on 7, with the remaining two games drawn. The last time these teams met was in February 2011, at the same venue; Liverpool won that game 1-0.

Currently placed 4th on the league table, the Stamford Bridge squad have hosted 5 home games, this season, winning 4 and losing the remaining one, while Liverpool who are in 6th place have had 3 wins and 2 losses in 5 games on the road.

This one promises to be an intriguing match between two well-matched teams both trying to get some momentum going in their campaign, with Chelsea enjoying an edge on the back of home advantage.

Chelsea’s starting eleven against Blackburn: Cech, Ivanovic, Alex, Terry, Cole, Ramires, Mikel, Lampard, Mata, sturridge, Malouda.

Liverpool’s starting eleven against Swansea: Reina, Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Jose Enrique, Henderson, Lucas, Adam, Downing, Carroll, Suarez.

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The English Premier League is the most-watched League in the entire world, with an estimated following of over 100 million viewers world-wide and an annual turnover exceeding £2billion. The English Premier League which officially kicked off on the 15th of August 1992 has remained the pace-setters in terms of players transfer fees, players’ monthly wages and bonuses.

In Africa, Super sports were the sole proprietorship owner of Premier League matches with coverage area limited to the shores of Africa. There have been a steady influx of African and non-British footballers into the Premier League over the past ten years. The present figure of non-British footballers stands at over 260. Africa presently has over 40 players in the top flight Premier League and a significant number in the lower division of the English League.

John Mikel Obi(Nigeria)
This Chelsea Midfielder has become an integral part of Chelsea’s first team with some sterling performance over the past four seasons.

Benoit Assou-Ekotto(Cameroon)
He plays for Tottenham Hotspur in the top flight English Premier League. A left full back of immense talent and experience, he has remain a regular in Tottenham Champions League Campaign in 2010.

Alexandre Song(Cameroon)
Alexandre Song is a midfielder with Arsenal Football Club under the tutelage of Arsene Wenger. He has improved in terms of goal-scoring and work-rate over the past two seasons.

Christopher Samba(Congo)
This big Congolese center back has been the secret behind Blackburn Rovers success over the years. He is very strong in the air and has scored a couple of goals from dead ball situations.

Michael Essien(Ghana)
The Ghanaian captain who plays in the defensive midfield position for Chelsea has become a super-regular in Carlo Ancelloti’s side this season. He has excellent defensive and attacking skills.

Bejani Mwaruwari(Zimbabwe)
This prolific striker whose speed and persistence remains his key asset remains a solid performer whenever he is given the opportunity to play. He presently plies his trade with Blackburn Rovers.

Emmanuel Adebayor(Togo)
The gangling Togolese striker has seen his appearance under Coach Roberto Mancini dwindle tremendously. He has however proved to be a lethal finisher in front of goal in the Europa League. He plays for title hopefuls- Manchester City.

Steven Pienaar(South Africa)
Steven Pienaar has had to endure an injury prone season in the color of Everton F.C in the English top flight league. He is an attacking midfielder of repute, scoring crucial goals for the Toffees.

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1. Fun- Most people play Soccer because it’s a good way to stay fit and active. Whether you’re a professional or an amateur make sure that you are having fun. When you’re enjoying your soccer experience this will inevitable create a platform that will allow you to learn the fundamentals of the game.

2. Practice makes perfect- The more you train the better you will become. Through continuous repetition you will be able to master the game. This will allow you to become confident in your own ability and develop a high self esteem amongst your team mates.

3. Ensure that you always wear the correct gear- Your soccer boots need to be comfortable and be the right size. The clothing worn should always be dictated by the weather and always make an effort to wear a smile.

4. Nutrition- overlooked by many players but is crucial if you want to perform at your optimum levels. A balanced, nutritious diet is paramount in maintaining high energy levels during training and match day. Good nutrition also aids in recovery and helps reduce the event of a soft tissue injury.

5. Goals- try and workout your goals and ambitions. Why are you playing the game of Soccer? Once you’ve answered this question you can train and learn accordingly.

6. Find a suitable Team/Club- If you’re purely looking to have fun and stay fit, do not join a club that is looking to compete at the highest level and win championships. For starters you will not have fun due to high levels of pressure and you will also have limited game time if any.

If you follow the above Soccer Tips, your soccer experience and enjoyment will increase ten-fold. So start enjoying the world game and don’t complicate things. The game of Soccer caters for everyone and doesn’t need to be complicated.

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Football, or soccer, as it is known in the one country that famously does not recognize the game’s true greatness, is one of the most challenging sports in the world. Whether you play in a street, a field or a stadium, you will know just how tough the game can be-even though it is still fun. Soccer involves a great deal of running back and forth for forwards and even defenders (here’s looking at you, Sergio Ramos, you defender-who-keeps-going-for-goals, you). Even goalies have it pretty rough, as they must always be ready to hurl themselves to odd corners of the goal area, like human projectiles. It is no wonder that players soon run out of breath, and have to face a potentially very long game being tired already. This article will focus on measures you might take to increase lung capacity, and their respective pros and cons.

There are certain postures you can take in order to maximize lung capacity. Raising your arms, for example, can give your lungs more space to expand. This can be quite appropriate for goalies, who often have to keep their arms up anyway. However, the immediate demands of the game might make other breathing-maximization postures impractical, or you might find that they just look silly, and you do not want that in front of a stadium full of spectators.

Other breathing-enhancing methods involve your diet. For example, some singers try to avoid meat, because the slow digestion process impedes the use of the diaphragm. Unfortunately, it might be unwise for an athlete to try the same thing, because you will probably be needing all the protein you can get. Consult a trusted expert, and ask if you can get your protein from other sources, like soy-based dishes or protein shakes.

In other words, you must always keep the other requirements of your profession in mind when you try to choose a method to improve the way you breathe. You need one that will not limit the maneuvers you make on the field, embarrass you in front of fans and opponents, or compromise your nutrition program.

However, do not let the complications of finding the right method discourage you. Breathing well is very important. If your position requires a great deal of running, your muscles will require as much oxygen as they can get. More efficient muscles mean that you will not have to work so hard to gain more muscle, which can weigh you down or increase likelihood of injuries like strained tendons. Even if you do not have to run much, your breathing habits still matter. Goalies, for example, need to always be alert and focused. Since the brain is a notorious oxygen-guzzler, you will need a great respiration system so that you will not miss the ball coming at you from some strange, unexpected angle.

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Soccer is serious business in most parts of the world, and nothing is taken more seriously than a team’s performance in the World Cup. By no means scientific, this article attempts to rank the World Cup success of soccer’s elite nations at the world’s biggest sporting event.

1. Brazil

Without a doubt, any discussion about the most successful nations in World Cup history begins with Brazil. Having won a record 5 World Cup tournaments, the Brazilians are also the only team to have ever qualified for every World Cup since competition began in 1930. Brazil has produced some of the finest soccer players ever to grace the pitch. Soccer greats such as Pele, the only player to have ever won the World Cup 3 times, and Ronaldo, the current all time leading World Cup goal scorer, suited up for the Samba Kings.

2. Germany

Winning 3 World Cup’s themselves, Germany, and West Germany before it, is slotted in at number two by virtue of having more final four finishes than any other team. It seems like in every tournament, even one’s like the most recent 2010 World Cup where they weren’t considered as contenders, Germany finds a way into the semi-finals. An excellent player development program and fantastic coaching combined with good structure and organization means that the German’s should never be underestimated in international competition.

3. Italy

Even though the Italians have won 4 tournaments, they are slotted behind the German’s by virtue of being much less consistent. Notoriously slow starters, the Italians are known for their fantastic defensive play and generally find their game as the tournament wears on. However, they are unpredictable, often struggling and are just as frequently eliminated in the early rounds of tournaments having reached the final four of the tournament fewer times than either Germany or Brazil.

4. Argentina

The other Latin American powerhouse, Argentina has won the World Cup 2 times and remains hugely influential on international soccer. While not obtaining the same level of international success as Brazil, they are usually grouped with their neighbors as perennial favourites at every tournament. Like Brazil, the Argentine’s strength lies in the individual talent and skill of the players they produce, with the perfect example being the current world player of the year, Lionel Messi.

5. Uruguay

By virtue of having won two World Cup’s (albeit, a long, long time ago in a far, far different era), Uruguay finds itself in the number 5 spot on this list. While the Uruguayans have been silent for what seems like an eternity, their recent journey to a fourth placed finish at the 2010 World Cup has proven that they still have ability to be successful on the international level.

Honorable Mentions:

The Netherlands

Possessing a vast legion of rabid fans from all corners of the globe, The Netherlands are commonly referred to as «the best team to have never won the World Cup». The Dutch managed to reach the semi-finals 3 times, most famously during the 1970’s when The Netherlands’ total football teams revolutionized the way the game was played.

Spain

Struggling at the international level until very recently, Spain is slowly cementing its place as the best team currently on the planet. However, its past failures and disappointments mean that the Spanish still have a ways to go before they can catch up to the level of achievement that characterize soccer’s elite teams. With the current level of skill on the Spanish National team however, this perhaps won’t take very long.

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