Soccer For Dummies

Learn to: Get a handle on soccer rules and regulations Grasp the basic moves and plays Improve dribbling, passing, and other skills Appreciate this popular pastime Learn the basics, improve your game knowledge, and reach your soccer playing goals Do you get a kick out of soccer? Whether you're a youth league player, a soccer parent, or a World Cup fan, here at last is the book you've been waiting for. Now updated with the latest history, stats, and rules of this popular sport, Soccer For Dummies is the ultimate guide to the greatest and most popular sport on the planet. Kick off — get a beginner's history of soccer, from its early days in China to the modern game that's showcased in stadiums and played on soccer fields all across the globe Get to the nitty-gritty — discover the rules of the game, what each player on the field is expected to do, the tactics they employ, and the skills they need to play The biggest sport in the world — explore everything about the professional game of soccer, from the biggest show on earth — the FIFA World Cup — to other international tournaments such as the European Championships, Copa America, and the CONCACAF Gold Cup For fans — find out what you can expect at a professional soccer game, as well as the lowdown on where you can find soccer on television, online, in newspapers, magazines, books, movies, and on DVDs Open the book and find: How soccer is played (and scored) Tips on coaching, how to keep fit, and how to play "the beautiful game" An in-depth look at women's soccer How club soccer is organized across the world Important international and club teams Fun soccer facts and interesting tidbits A look at the game's most fascinating players

Introduction  1 Part I: Kicking Off  7 Chapter 1: Introducing Planet Soccer 9 Chapter 2: Getting the Ball Rolling: A Brief History of Soccer 19 Chapter 3: Getting Your Game On: The Gear You Need 33 Part II: Playing the Game  47 Chapter 4: Laying Down the Laws 49 Chapter 5: Players, Positions, and Tactics 69 Chapter 6: Honing Your Skills 95 Chapter 7: Keeping in Shape for Soccer 119 Chapter 8: Coaching For Success 133 Chapter 9: Getting the Game On 145 Part III: Exploring the World of Soccer 159 Chapter 10: The World Cup 161 Chapter 11: Surveying the International Scene 175 Chapter 12: Playing Together: Clubs and Leagues Around The World 193 Chapter 13: Focusing on Famous Clubs 217 Chapter 14: Women’s Soccer 241 Part IV: The Fans’ Enclosure: Following the Game 257 Chapter 15: Going to the Game 259 Chapter 16: Compelling Viewing: Soccer on Screen 269 Chapter 17: Reading All About It 281 Chapter 18: Finding Other Soccer–Based Pastimes 297 Part V: The Part of Tens  307 Chapter 19: Ten Great Players 309 Chapter 20: The Ten Greatest Teams of All Time 319 Chapter 21: Ten Great Games 329 Appendix A: Roll of Honor 337 Appendix B: Glossary 351 Index  359

Tom Dunmore is the author of Historical Dictionary of Soccer, and the editor of several soccer websites and blogs including XI Quarterly. He is an avid Chicago Fire fan. Scott Murray is a soccer writer for The Guardian and FourFourTwo.