Iaz93: Soccer is one of the most famous sports in the world. It is like a religion for more than a billion soccer lovers. Let's get to know some interesting facts about the game of soccer. The game is known as 'soccer' only in North America, while the rest of the world recognizes it as 'football'. In reality, the name soccer is a corrupt form of the original term ''association of football'', abbreviated as 'assoc' and is the most recognized sport in the world today.
₹ A typical football ground is 100 to 130 yards long and 50 to 100 yards wide.
₹ A single soccer players runs about 7 miles during an entire game.
₹ The soccer ball is measured to be around 28 inches, in its circumference and I bet, you didn't know that more than 80% of the world's soccer balls are produced in Pakistan.
₹ Mexico is the only country to host the world cup event twice.
₹ European countries have always been in the world cup finals except for years 1930 and 1950.
₹ India pulled away from the 1950 world cup because the players were not allowed to play without shoes.
₹ From the years 1962 to 1996, the World cup was won alternatively by the Europeans and South Americans.
₹ German international player Oliver Kahn became the first goalkeeper to win the most valuable player of the world cup in 2002.
₹ During a match played in Paraguay between Sportivo Ameliano and General Caballero, a total of 20 red cards were shown.
₹ Liberian player, George Weah paid for the team's uniforms and all the expenses, so that the team could play in the 1996 African Nations Cup.
₹ Michael Laudrup was a part of the Barcelona team when they won against Real Madrid 5-0. He was also a part of the Real Madrid team when they won 5-0 against Barcelona as well.
₹ In 1998, English referee Martin Sylvester sent himself off after punching a player during a game in Andover and district sunday league.
₹ Sir Stanley Matthews never received a booking in his 33-year long career.
₹ Brazil's Pele is the only player to win 3 world cups (1958, 1962 and 1970)
₹ Chelsea has only won the English top league 4 times.
₹ Scottish team, Rangers have won a staggering 54 league titles
₹ ASEC Abidjan of Cote D'Ivoire went unbeaten for 108 games between 1989 and 1994.
₹ Chelsea had an amazing +71 goal difference in the 2009-2010 season.
₹ United States has more official soccer players than any other nation in the world - almost 18million. Of these, 78% are under the age of 18.