the rectangular area where soccer matches are played.

a solid gold statue given to the champion of each World Cup tournament to keep for the next 4 years.

Federation Internationale de Football Association — the official governing body of international soccer since 1904 which established the World Cup tournament; helps set and revise rules of the game, called the 17 Laws.

a player's use of his head to deflect the ball.

a player's use of his foot to control a rolling or low-bouncing ball.

name for soccer everywhere except in the U.S.; also, what American's call their popular team sport which evolved from soccer and rugby.

the arrangement into positions of players on the field; for example, a 4-3-3 formation places 4 defenders, 3 midfielders and 3 forwards on the field.

the 3 or 4 forwards who work together to try and score goals; consists of two wingers and 1 or 2 strikers.

a pass made towards the opposition's goal.

the 3 or 4 players on a team who are responsible for most of a team's scoring; they play in front of the rest of their team where they can take most of its shots; strikers and wingers.

a violation of the rules for which an official assesses a free kick.

a kick awarded to a player for a foul committed by the opposition; the player kicks a stationary ball without any opposing players within 10 yards of him.

the striking of a ball in the air by a player's forehead; the most common type of header.

an attempt by a defender to kick the ball away from an attacker by approaching him from a head-on position.

the 3 or 4 players immediately in front of the Keeper whose primary task is to stop the opposition from scoring.