Informative Essay About Soccer

One of the vital players in a soccer game is the goalkeeper. Each opposing team has a goalkeeper accountable for deterring goals from being scored and ensuring the scores are low or nil. However, in modern soccer, goalkeepers have been incorporated into critical set pieces that initiate attacks and assist, unlike in the 19th century when soccer began (Blakemore). According to Bandyopadhyay and Naha, soccer is a sport that can be traced to ancient China, Greece, and Rome, where the ball was made of stone and animal hides filled with hair (3). Soccer was a sport used mainly by ancient communities to facilitate unity and strengthen their social bonds. Nevertheless, modern soccer, as presumed by most people worldwide, has its roots in England

According to Krutsch et al., members of the Irish Football Association manifested the idea of having penalty kicks in the game to compensate for the foul play committed by a defender within the penalty box (162). After implementing the penalty rule, the kick could be taken anywhere along the line parallel to the goal and was supposed to be 12 yards away. Later, the law was revised in 1902, and a precise penalty spot was established and is currently used in modern soccer (Hjelseth and Telseth 5). In addition, players are supposed to remain behind the penalty line during the penalty kick. In matches that ended in a draw and made it challenging to determine the winner, penalty shootouts were introduced rather than tossing a coin to pinpoint the winner. Therefore, penalty kicks have been iconic inventions in soccer currently used in modern

Referees were introduced in 1929 to implement and execute the game's rules and ensure that soccer matches are played fairly and safely (Samuel et al. 741). Additionally, the referee is deemed the ultimate decision-maker in all aspects of a soccer match. Two assistant referees advise the center referee at elite levels when the ball is out of the demarcated playing zones. They also pinpoint infringements that undermine the game's laws that often transpire without the center referee's consciousness (Samuel et al. 740). A referee should have an informative discussion with the participating teams' officials to outline the disciplinary actions or any incidents that might occur during the soccer match. Therefore, referees play a significant role in ensuring that all guidelines of the game are adhered to by both