A soccer field has a goal at each end. A soccer team has eleven players on the field. Each team tries to get the ball into the other team's goal.

A goal counts when the ball goes between the posts and under the crossbar. A soccer ball is round and about 68 to 70 centimeters around.

When the ball crosses the side line, the other team gets a throw-in.

A soccer match has two halves of 45 minutes each. The team that scores more goals wins the match. If both teams have the same score, the match is a draw.

A referee runs each match and blows a whistle when a rule is broken.

The World Cup is held every four years. The first World Cup was played in 1930 in Uruguay.

Uruguay won the first World Cup by beating Argentina 4-2.

The first Women's World Cup was held in China in 1991. The Women's World Cup is also held every four years.

Words to know

• goal: the target
• crossbar: goal top bar
• match: a game
• Uruguay: a country