Soccer, 202-PEL

Football, also called association football or soccer, game in which two teams of 11 players, using any part of their bodies except their hands and arms, try to maneuver the ball into the opposing team’s goal. Only the goalkeeper is permitted to handle the ball and may do so only within the penalty area surrounding the goal. The team that scores more goals wins.
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2022 FIFA World Cup
2022 FIFA World Cup, international football (soccer) tournament that took place in Qatar from November 20 to December......
2026 FIFA World Cup
Where will the 2026 FIFA World Cup take place? The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States,......
Abedi Ayew Pelé
Abedi Ayew Pelé is a Ghanaian football (soccer) player who was the only man to have won the African Player of the......
AC Milan
AC Milan, Italian professional football (soccer) club based in Milan. AC Milan is nicknamed the Rossoneri (“Red......
Africa Cup of Nations
Africa Cup of Nations, the most prestigious football (soccer) competition in Africa. It is contested by national......
Ajax
Ajax, Dutch professional football (soccer) club formed in 1900 in Amsterdam. Ajax is the Netherlands’ most successful......
Akers, Michelle
Michelle Akers is a former football (soccer) player who was named Female Player of the 20th Century by the FIFA,......
Al-Ahly
Al-Ahly, Egyptian professional football (soccer) club based in Cairo. Al-Ahly is one of Africa’s most successful......
Al-Masry
Al-Masry, Egyptian professional football (soccer) club based in Port Said. Al-Masry is one of Egypt’s oldest and......
Allianz Arena
Allianz Arena, stadium in Munich that was designed by the architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron and completed in......
Anderson, Viv
Viv Anderson is a professional football (soccer) player and the first person of African descent (his parents were......
Arsenal
Arsenal, English professional football (soccer) team based in London. Arsenal is one of the most successful squads......
AS Roma
AS Roma, Italian professional football (soccer) team based in Rome. AS Roma has been an almost constant presence......
Asian Cup
Asian Cup, Asian football (soccer) competition that takes place every four years and is that continent’s premier......
Baggio, Roberto
Roberto Baggio is an Italian professional football (soccer) player who is widely considered one of the greatest......
Ballack, Michael
Michael Ballack is a German professional football (soccer) midfielder who was named the German Footballer of the......
Batistuta, Gabriel
Gabriel Batistuta is a former Argentine professional football (soccer) player whose prolific scoring made him an......
Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich, German professional football (soccer) club based in Munich. Bayern Munich was founded in 1900 and......
Beckenbauer, Franz
Franz Beckenbauer is a German football (soccer) player who is one of only three people to win the World Cup as......
Beckham, David
David Beckham is an English football (soccer) player who gained international fame for his on-field play as well......
Best, George
George Best was an Irish-born football (soccer) player who was one of the premier forwards in the game’s history......
Blatter, Sepp
Sepp Blatter is a Swiss sports executive who served as the president (1998–2015) of FIFA (Fédération Internationale......
Boca Juniors
Boca Juniors, Argentine professional football (soccer) club based in the Buenos Aires neighbourhood of Boca. Boca......
Busby, Sir Matthew
Sir Matthew Busby was a British football (soccer) player who achieved acclaim as manager (1945–71), director (1971–82),......
Cannavaro, Fabio
Fabio Cannavaro is an Italian professional football (soccer) player who led his country to a 2006 World Cup victory.......
Cantona, Eric
Eric Cantona is a French football (soccer) player who was one of the sport’s biggest stars in the 1990s and is......
Celtic
Celtic, Scottish professional football (soccer) team based in Glasgow. Nicknamed “the Bhoys,” (the h is said to......
Charlton, Bobby
Bobby Charlton was a football (soccer) player and manager who is regarded as one of the greatest English footballers.......
Chelsea FC
Chelsea FC, English professional football (soccer) team based in the Hammersmith and Fulham borough of London.......
Chinaglia, Giorgio
Giorgio Chinaglia was an Italian football (soccer) player who was one of the sport’s greatest goal scorers and......
Copa América
Copa América, quadrennial South American football (soccer) tournament that is the continent’s premier competition......
Cruyff, Johan
Johan Cruyff was a Dutch football (soccer) forward renowned for his imaginative playmaking. He won numerous honours,......
Cunningham, Laurie
Laurie Cunningham was a professional football (soccer) player. In 1977, Cunningham joined West Bromwich Albion......
Dean, Dixie
Dixie Dean was a British football (soccer) player, remembered as one of the great centre forwards of his time.......
Di Stéfano, Alfredo
Alfredo Di Stéfano was an Argentine-born football (soccer) player and manager, regarded as one of the greatest......
Diouf, El Hadji
El Hadji Diouf is a Senegalese football (soccer) player who was named African Football Confederation (Confédération......
Donovan, Landon
Landon Donovan is an American professional football (soccer) player, widely regarded as the greatest American male......
Drogba, Didier
Didier Drogba is an Ivorian professional football (soccer) player who was Côte d’Ivoire’s all-time leader in goals......
Dynamo Kyiv
Dynamo Kyiv, Ukrainian professional football (soccer) team located in Kyiv. Dynamo Kyiv was one of the strongest......
English Football League
English Football League (EFL), English professional football (soccer) organization. The league was formed in 1888,......
Essien, Michael
Michael Essien is a Ghanaian professional football (soccer) player who rose to international stardom as a midfielder......
Eto’o, Samuel
Samuel Eto’o is a Cameroonian professional football (soccer) player who is considered one of the greatest African......
European Championship
European Championship, in football (soccer), a quadrennial tournament held between the member countries of the......
Eusébio
Eusébio was a Portuguese football (soccer) player considered one of the greatest of all time. He was celebrated......
Fashanu, Justin
Justin Fashanu was a British football (soccer) player who was the first professional footballer to come out as......
FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona, Spanish professional football (soccer) club located in Barcelona. FC Barcelona is renowned for its......
Ferguson, Alex
Alex Ferguson is a Scottish football (soccer) player and manager who was best known for managing Manchester United......
FIFA
FIFA, world governing body of association football (soccer), founded in Paris in 1904. FIFA is headquartered in......
FIFA
FIFA, football (soccer) electronic game series published from 1993 through 2022 by EA Sports, a division of the......
Football Association
Football Association (FA), ruling body for English football (soccer), founded in 1863. The FA controls every aspect......
Forlán, Diego
Diego Forlán is an Uruguayan football (soccer) player who was awarded the Golden Ball as the standout player at......
Foudy, Julie
Julie Foudy is a retired football (soccer) midfielder who won two FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association)......
Francescoli, Enzo
Enzo Francescoli is a Uruguayan football (soccer) player who gained worldwide fame as El Príncipe (“The Prince”).......
Friedenreich, Artur
Artur Friedenreich was a Brazilian football (soccer) player who is officially recognized by Fédération Internationale......
Garcia, Luis
Luis Garcia was a Spanish right winger (midfielder) who gained fame in the sport of football (soccer) for his versatility......
Garrincha
Garrincha was a Brazilian football (soccer) player considered by many to be the best right winger in the history......
Gerrard, Steven
Steven Gerrard is an English professional football (soccer) player and manager who was considered one of the most-complete......
Guardiola, Pep
Pep Guardiola is a Spanish professional football (soccer) manager. Formerly a player, he starred as a defensive......
Hamm, Mia
Mia Hamm is an American football (soccer) player who became the first international star of the women’s game. Playing......
Henry, Thierry
Thierry Henry is a French football (soccer) player and manager who scored more international goals (51) than any......
Heysel Stadium disaster
Heysel Stadium disaster, incident in which a crush of football (soccer) fans resulted in 39 deaths and some 600......
Higuita, René
René Higuita is a former Colombian football (soccer) goalkeeper who won fans over with his ability to move beyond......
Huerta, Sofia
Sofia Huerta is an American football (soccer) player who is a dynamic forward and midfielder, known for her deft......
Iniesta, Andrés
Andrés Iniesta is a Spanish football (soccer) player who helped his country win the Euro title in 2008 and 2012......
Inter Milan
Inter Milan, Italian professional football (soccer) team based in Milan. Inter Milan is the only Italian club never......
Juventus
Juventus, Italian professional football (soccer) team based in Turin. Juventus is one of Italy’s oldest and most......
Kahn, Oliver
Oliver Kahn is a German football (soccer) player who is considered one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time.......
Kaká
Kaká is a Brazilian football (soccer) player who was named the World Player of the Year by the Fédération Internationale......
Kawabuchi Saburō
Kawabuchi Saburō is a Japanese businessman who played a significant role in the launch of Japan’s first professional......
Keita, Salif
Salif Keita is a Malian football (soccer) player and was the first recipient of the African Player of the Year......
Kerr, Sam
Sam Kerr is an Australian football (soccer) player who was named captain of the Matildas, the women’s national......
Klinsmann, Jürgen
Jürgen Klinsmann is a German football (soccer) player and coach who helped West Germany win the 1990 World Cup......
Le Tissier, Maya
Maya Le Tissier English football (soccer) player in the Women’s Super League (WSL) and member of the England women’s......
list of soccer (football) players
This is a list of soccer (football) players ordered alphabetically by country of origin or residence. (See also......
Liverpool FC
Liverpool FC, English professional football (soccer) club based in Liverpool. It is the most successful English......
Lloyd, Carli
Carli Lloyd is an American association football (soccer) player who, as one of the sport’s leading midfielders,......
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer (MLS), North American professional football (soccer) league that is the highest level of soccer......
Manchester City FC
Manchester City FC, English men’s professional football (soccer) club based in Manchester. Manchester City achieved......
Manchester United
Manchester United, English professional football (soccer) team based in Manchester, England. Nicknamed “the Red......
Maracanã Stadium
Maracanã Stadium, association football stadium located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, that was completed in 1950 and......
Maradona, Diego
Diego Maradona was an Argentine football (soccer) player who is generally regarded as the top footballer of the......
Marta
Marta is a Brazilian athlete who is widely considered the greatest female football (soccer) player of all time.......
Matthews, Sir Stanley
Sir Stanley Matthews was a football (soccer) player, an outside right forward considered by many to be one of the......
Matthäus, Lothar
Lothar Matthäus is a German football (soccer) player who was the only outfield player in the world to compete in......
Mbappé, Kylian
Kylian Mbappé is a French football (soccer) player whose speed and goal scoring as an attacker have made him a......
Mercer, Joseph
Joseph Mercer was a distinguished British football (soccer) player (1931–54) and manager. Mercer overcame spindly......
Messi, Lionel
Lionel Messi is an Argentine-born football (soccer) player who received a record-setting eight Ballon d’Or awards......
Michels, Rinus
Rinus Michels was a Dutch football (soccer) player and coach credited with having created “total football,” an......
Milburn, Jackie
Jackie Milburn was a British football (soccer) player, who, as a member of Newcastle United (1946–56), scored more......
Milla, Roger
Roger Milla is a Cameroonian football (soccer) player, renowned for his impeccable technique and grace under pressure.......
Moore, Bobby
Bobby Moore was an English football (soccer) player known as the "golden boy of English football" and captain of......
Moreno, José Manuel
José Manuel Moreno was an Argentine football (soccer) player who starred with the club River Plate during the 1940s......
Morgan, Alex
Alex Morgan is an American professional football (soccer) player who used her speed and strength to become one......
Müller, Gerd
Gerd Müller was a German professional football (soccer) player who was one of the greatest goal scorers of all......
National Women’s Soccer League
When did the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) launch? The NWSL began play in 2013. How many teams were in......
Neuer, Manuel
Manuel Neuer is a German football (soccer) player who, as one of the game’s leading goalkeepers, helped Germany......
Neymar
Neymar is a Brazilian football (soccer) player who is one of the most prolific scorers in his country’s storied......
Olympique de Marseille
Olympique de Marseille, French professional football (soccer) club founded in 1899 and based in Marseille. Established......
Pelé
Pelé was a Brazilian football (soccer) player, in his time probably the most famous and possibly the best-paid......

Soccer Encyclopedia Articles By Title