Soccer is widely considered to be the most popular sport in the world. More people watch and play soccer than any other sport. Soccer is called "football" in England, where it comes from, and in many other countries. In America, this sport is called soccer or international football. Soccer is a game played by two teams and each team has 11 players. They play on a rectangular field called the soccer pitch, with net goals at either end. The players of each team try to drive the soccer ball into the goal of the team they are playing against. A player called the "goalkeeper" tries to keep the ball from entering the area between the goal posts. Physical contact between opponents is restricted. The team that scores the most goals by the end of the games wins. The goalkeeper is the only player allowed to use his or her arms and hands to catch, carry, throw, or stop the ball. All the other players must not to let the ball touch their arms and hands. if a player doesn't follow this rule, it is called a "hand ball", and his or her team's opponents get a "free kick". Soccer fans are very serious about their game. Many love their soccer team as much as they love their country. Some love their soccer teams even more. Soccer has even been the cause of wars. Soccer is not only a fun game to watch, it is also a great game to play.