Soccer is a popular sport played all over the world. Even though it has only been popular in the United States for the past 30 years, soccer has been a long time favorite most everywhere else. The sport dates back to the Egyptians, who played games involving the kicking of a ball. Now, the sport has grown to a global pastime, including men's and women's teams, and the World Cup which is played every four years. Soccer originated with kicking games played by people in ancient civilizations. The modern version came about in the early nineteenth century, in England. It...
a goal cannot be scored.

Most soccer games have 45-minute halves, and the clock is not stopped except for injuries or deliberate time wasting. In professional soccer, only three to five substitutions are allowed per half. Generally, more are allowed in lower leagues.

Soccer is now recorded as being the fastest growing sport in America at high school and college levels. There are also an estimated 13 million girls and boys under 18 who currently participate in the sport. It is not just becoming a national pastime, but a pastime loved and shared by people all over the world.