Considering that conventional outdoor soccer is the most popular sport in the world, it makes sense that soccer enthusiasts would eventually start playing with soccer balls indoors. Indoor soccer actually has a soccer history nearly as long as conventional soccer with the first indoor match being recorded in Canada in 1885, but the indoor version of the sport didn’t really take off until the 1920’s when the world’s first indoor soccer leagues were formed in Boston and New York City. Today, the popularity of indoor soccer is growing rapidly in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and the United Kingdom.

Indoor soccer is loosely based on conventional soccer, but the rules, equipment and “field” have been modified to suit the indoor environment. Indoor soccer ball fields are smaller than regular soccer fields and usually played on hard surfaces like basketball courts. The teams, goals and soccer balls used indoors are smaller too. Most indoor leagues use specific indoor soccer balls in size 4 that are covered in felt or some other type of non-skid, non-marking outer shell. Indoor soccer goals are sized down to fit the smaller “fields” and are about the size of a hockey goal. Indoor soccer teams usually consist of just six players (including goalkeeper) per team.

The most surprising and unique element of indoor soccer may be the fact that the soccer balls can be bounced off one or more walls during play without penalties. The result is a much faster-paced game played in a smaller space with fewer delays. The walls must be at least six-feet high for most indoor league play, but if higher walls are present, they are utilized, with only the ceiling being “out of bounds.” Indoor soccer ball matches are usually an hour long, divided into four 15-minute periods. There are no offside rules in indoor soccer ball games, but conventional soccer contact rules do apply although most indoor leagues ban sliding tackles due to the hard playing surfaces.

If you love to play conventional soccer and live in a cold winter weather climate, indoor soccer might just be your game because it can be played all year long. If you love conventional soccer and want to play a more hyperactive and condensed version of the game, indoor soccer could be your game. If you are not a soccer ball player yourself, but love to watch the action as a spectator, the furious pace of indoor soccer ball action could turn out to become one of your favorites. Any way you slice it, you owe it to yourself to check out an indoor soccer ball match.

Indoor soccer had a rocky start and continues to struggle with standardizing rules and governing organizations. Despite beginning nearly parallel to the development of conventional soccer back in 1885, indoor soccer has never enjoyed a stable international sanctioning organization. Or even a steady national organization on any continent. Indoor soccer has been popular in the Americas since the ’20 and 30’s, but it wasn’t until 1970 when the North American Indoor Soccer League was formed that indoor soccer had an organizing body. It has been a rocky road for indoor soccer ever since then, and today the United States Indoor Soccer Association is the central governing organization. Here are some of the changes indoor soccer has endured in the last 40 years:

1970 – The North American Indoor Soccer League is formed to hold indoor soccer games and tournaments.

1973 – The World Indoor Soccer Association is formed and hosts first match in Toronto, Canada.

1974 – North American Soccer League USA team plays the Soviet Army in the world’s first televised indoor soccer game.

1975 – North American Soccer League stages indoor tournaments through 1979.

1978 – Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) is formed.

1979 – Major Indoor Soccer League combines with North American Soccer’s
indoor league,

1984 – American Indoor Soccer Association is formed, runs through 1990.

1985 – North American Soccer League ends.

1986 – Southwest Indoor Soccer League (SISL) forms.

1988 – Southwest Independent Soccer League expanded to include outdoor

1990 – MISL becomes Major Soccer League (MSL).

1996 – SISL soccer becomes the I-League.

1992 – MSL ends.

1993 – Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL) is formed.

1995 – CISL ends.

1997 – Eastern Indoor Soccer League is formed.

1998 – World Indoor Soccer League is formed – and ends.

1998 – I-League ends.

1998 – United States Indoor Soccer Association is formed.

2001 – Major Indoor Soccer League is reformed.

2008 – American Indoor Soccer League ends.

2008 – Major Indoor Soccer League ends.

At present, the United States Indoor Soccer Association is the single largest (and only remaining) central governing body for indoor soccer ball sports.

United States Indoor Soccer Association
1340 N. Great Neck Road, Suite 1272-142
Virginia Beach, VA 23454

There are a lot of different soccer balls out there, in an array of sizes, colors and materials – from the cheaper rubber and PVC soccer balls, right up to the most expensive synthetic match soccer balls.

Match soccer balls are probably the best quality soccer balls that you can buy and the prices range from $25 and up to over $125. Match soccer balls are usually reserved for professional soccer players, but now just about anyone can buy a professional ball or a replica of the same ball that they can see out on the World Cup playing field.

When searching for a match soccer ball, you must make sure that it is clearly marked on the ball “FIFA Approved” so that you know it is the authentic article. All World Cup tournament soccer balls are FIFA Approved. A ball marked “FIFA Inspected” is still a great ball but of less quality than the match soccer balls.

Match soccer balls offer the player exceptional feel and longevity, and some of the brands that you can expect to find on the shelves that make the best match soccer balls are:

• Select
• Spalding
• Diadora
• Brine
• Adidas
• Baden
• Voit
• Nike
• Puma

Since 1970, Adidas have provided the official match balls for World Cup tournament games, and today they are usually thermally bonded, machine pressed balls.These days, the FIFA alternates between Nike and Adidas for their match soccer balls. So if you want a soccer ball that you can be proud of, and perhaps show off to your friends, then a match soccer ball is for you. Remember though, match soccer balls only come in size 5, and are meant to be used for professional games, so it is best to stick to smaller and cheaper balls for those under 13 years old. A match soccer ball could be too heavy for kids to play well with as well.

The reasons why match soccer balls are more expensive and sought after are:

• They are approved for quality and performance
• They are used in professional matches
• The highest technology goes into the ball production
• They are used in league and international competitions

When it comes to match soccer balls, quality materials and quality construction are the keys and you pay for the best.

Understanding soccer ball competition at any age or skill level requires a basic knowledge of the words and phrases commonly used that are specific to the sport. You will have to brush upon your soccer vocabulary if you want to make sense of the action on the soccer ball field. Here is a basic glossary to help you better understand all that soccer ball talk:

Advantage rule –
Play is not stopped for fouls if the action is detrimental to the fouled team.

Assist –
One of two passes preceding a goal allowed to be credited as assists.

Attacking Midfielder –
The mid-fielder closest to the opposing goal.

Attacker -
Any player with offensive possession of the soccer ball.

AYSO-
American Youth Soccer Organization. The largest youth soccer organization in the United States.

Back –
A defending player.

Banana Kick –
A kick with a curved or arcing trajectory.

Bicycle Kick –
When a player kicks the soccer ball backwards over his head.

Breakaway –
An attacking player without opposition.

Bundesliga -
The professional soccer ball league in Germany.

Carrying –
A goalkeeper foul for taking more than four steps with the soccer ball.

Center & Cross Kick –
A pass from the sideline to the center of the field.

Center Circle –
The kickoff circle in the center of the field.

Charge –
Legal contact with an opponent from the front or side.

Chip Pass & Chip Shot –
A short kick over the head of an opponent.

Corner Arc -
Quarter-circle located at each corner of the field.

Defender –
Any player without possession of the soccer ball.

Defensemen –
Also called defensive fullbacks. The last line of defense protecting the soccer ball goal.

Direct & Free Kick -
A kick awarded for foul using a stationary soccer ball with no opposition within 10 yards.

Dribbling –
Forward motion soccer ball control with the feet.

Drop Ball –
Referee restart droppingthe soccer ball between two facing players.

Drop Kick –
Legal goalie kick after dropping the soccer ball.

European Cup -
Annual European championship tournament.
.
Far Post -
Goal post farthest from the soccer ball.

FIFA:
Federation Internationale de Football Association. The governing organization of international soccer and World Cup matches.

Foot Trap –
Using the feet to stop and control a moving soccer ball.

Forwards -
Four players in front of the rest of their team.

Foul -
Any violation of the rules.

Goal -
The 8-foot high, 24-foot wide structure with posts and a net where goals are scored.

Goal Kick -
Restart with the soccer ball kicked from inside the goal area away from the goal.

Goalkeeper -
The player in front of the goal who is allowed to use his hands and arms to defend.

Hacking -
Kicking an opponent.

Hand Ball -
A foul for touching the soccer ball with a hand or arm.

Hat Trick -
Three goals scored in a single game by one player.

Header -
Hitting a soccer ball in the air with the head.

Injury Time -
Time added to the match by the referee to make up for time lost to player injuries.

Instep Drive –
A kick with the instep of the foot.

Intermission -
A 5-minute rest between periods.

Juggling -
Keeping the soccer ball in the air with any part of the body except the hands or arms.
.
Laws of the Game -
The 17 rules for soccer established by the FIFA.

Lead Pass:
A pass that arrives at a location at the same time a teammate does.

Linesmen –
Two officials assisting the referee at the sidelines.

Marking -
Preventing an opponent him from advancing the soccer ball.

Match -
A soccer ball game.

Midfield Line -
The line that divides the field in half.

Midfielders -
The four players behind the forwards.

MLS -
Major League Soccer. The United States outdoor soccer league.

MSL -
Major Soccer League. The United States indoor soccer league.

National Team -
A team of the best players in a country assembled for international World Cup competitions.

Obstruction -
Preventing an offensive player from playing the soccer ball.

Official Game Clock –
The clock carried by the referee on the field

Open -
An attacking player without opposition.

Out of Play -
A soccer ball outside the boundaries of the field.

Overtime –
Extra period of play after tie game.

Penalty Area –
The area where the goalkeeper can use his hands to block or control the soccer ball.

Penalty Shot & Kick -
A kick from the penalty spot against the opposing goalie without opposition within10 yards.

Penalty Spot -
A circular spot 12 yards in front of the goal line for penalty kicks

Periods –
The two 45-minute halves of a game.

Play On –
A referee’s Advantage Rule call for no game stoppage.

Receiver -
Any player getting a pass from a teammate.

Red Card -
The referee’s card used to indicate a player removed from the game.

Regulation Game –
A game that has completed two periods.

Save -
Stopping the soccer ball from scoring a goal.

Shielding –
Protecting the soccer ball from a defender.

Shorthanded -
A team playing with less than 11 players.

Sliding Tackle -
Sliding on the ground feet-first into the something ball.

Square Pass -
A pass to a teammate running alongside.

Starter -
Any player who is on the field to play at the start of a game.

Striker -
A team’s best forward at center field.

Substitution –
One of three permitted player exchanges per game.

Sweeper -
The defensive player in front of the goalkeeper.

Tackling -
Taking the soccer ball away from an opponent with your feet.

Thigh Trap -
Using the thigh to stop and control a soccer ball in the air.

Through Pass -
A pass that penetrates a line of defenders.

Throw-In -
A restart with the soccer ball thrown from behind the head with both hands while standing behind a sideline.

Tiebreaker –
A series of penalty kicks are taken by players from both teams to decide a tie game.

Trap –
Stopping and controlling a moving ball using chest, thighs or feet.

Volley -
A soccer ball kicked when it is off the ground.

Wall -
A line of shoulder-to-shoulder defending players protecting the goal against a close free kick.

Wings & Wingers -
The outside forward players.

World Cup -
The FIFA international soccer competition held every four years between the top national teams in the world.

Many people have claimed that kicking soccer balls up and down a field for 90 minutes is the most physically demanding sport on the planet. Even if soccer is not your pick as the most demanding sport, there is no denying the high levels of strength and endurance required to play the game. Mastering the art of soccer balls also means developing speed, agility and flexibility. Playing with soccer balls is a great way for people of all body types and sizes to develop their coordination and stay physically fit.

Soccer is extremely popular today. Televised World Cup soccer matches have more viewers worldwide than any other sporting event by a far margin. There are literally hundreds of millions of people that kick soccer balls around and more participants are getting into the sport every day. Both men and women are attracted to the game’s simple requirements, equipment and rules.

However, the soccer ball art is not without risk and player injuries are common among amateur and professional athletes alike. With millions of people playing a running and kicking game it is understandable that soccer specific leg injuries can result. The key to preventing soccer ball related injuries seems to be the player’s degree of preparation. Studies have shown that over 90% of the injuries related to playing with soccer balls are due to insufficient warm-up and workout preparations. Players in top physical condition will obviously experience fewer injuries, but statistics show most players will still experience about 5 injuries a year. Although it is impossible to completely avoid all soccer ball related injuries, with more training, longer warm-up times and better practice routines the overall injury rate can be significantly reduced and the fun factor increased.
Most Common S B Injuries by Type:

* Thigh – 28 (per one hundred reported injuries)
* Feet – 25
* Knees – 15
* Ankles – 15
* Hips – 4
* Back – 4
* Neck – 3
* Wrists – 3
* Elbow – 1
* Shoulders – 1

Injuries are a reality for all competitive sports and soccer is certainly no exception. You can take your own steps reduce the number of injuries related to kicking soccer balls around with more effective warm-up and training routines. The world’s most demanding sport is a lot more fun to play if you are not injured.

If you’ve got a good memory for soccer ball details here is a name you might want to remember, Madin Mohammed. The Algerian-born, French kid is the sport’s current child prodigy when it comes to controlling soccer balls on the field. Young Madin is already being compared to retired French-Algerian soccer ball superstar Zinedine Zidane, long considered one of the greatest talents to ever kick a soccer ball. The real surprise here is that Madin Mohammed is only six years old.

Everyone who has seen Madin play agrees the youngster’s soccer ball control on the field is nothing short of amazing. The four-foot talent can cross, pass and swerve the soccer ball with complete confidence as he effortlessly advances through hapless and totally ineffective defenders in his age group. To watch Madin play is like watching an adult play with children, he’s that good with soccer balls.

The European press outlets have fallen in love with the kid, Madin has appeared on French television several times and has recently been awarded a scholarship by the French national football association. There are even rumors in the UK press hinting that the professional teams Chelsea and Real Madrid are looking to sign the young soccer ball genius.

It may be a long time before young Madin Mohammed actually becomes the next Zinedine Zidane or Pele’, but you can watch his soccer ball magic today thanks to the phenomenon of YouTube. With all the recent buzz in the news about Madin, it was only a matter of time before his skills with soccer balls turned up on the popular online video website.

You can check out Madin’s soccer ball magic for yourself at the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XejtYoetNcQ

The history of soccer is full of memorable moments and dazzling displays of soccer ball mastery. Along the way some truly astonishing feats of soccer ball control have occurred. Some of these magical soccer ball moments were the result of team play and others came from individual player effort. In the process, records have been established and records have been broken. One thing is for sure though, with the current worldwide popularity of the soccer ball sport, any records set using soccer balls are likely to be broken eventually. People have managed to do some amazing things with soccer balls.
Here are some of the current record-setting feats from the world of soccer balls:

2003 – Brazil – Martinho Eduardo Orige juggled a soccer ball in the air for 19 hours 30 minutes with his feet, legs and head.

2002 – Switzerland – Paul Sahi climbed 109 rungs up a ladder while juggling a soccer ball in the air with his feet and head.

1992 – Brazil – Ricardo Neves walked 448 miles for 12 days while keeping a soccer ball aloft.

2005 – USA- (Illinois) Tim Crowe sets a record for most touches (147) on a soccer ball in 30 seconds while juggling the ball in the air.

2002 – Germany – Agim Agushi of Kosovo kept a soccer ball aloft for 3 hours and 12 minutes using only his head as he walked 9 miles.

2002 – USA – (Michigan) – A. Munoz walked up and down 2754 stairs steps for over a hour while keeping a soccer ball aloft with his head and feet.

1997 – Brazil – Milene Domingues sets female record for soccer ball touches (55,187) times) while juggling the ball for 9 hours.

2001 – Sweden – Tomas Lundman keeps a soccer ball aloft for one hour and 27 minutes while in a seated position.

1990 – Poland – Jan Skorkovský ran a 26-mile marathon while keeping a soccer ball aloft for 7 hours and 18 minutes.

2004 – Sweden – Tomas Lundman (again!) keeps a soccer ball aloft with his head for 8 hours 32 minutes.

1986 – Czech Republic – Josef Lochman covered 5 miles running for one hour while keeping a soccer ball aloft.

2004 – Cuba – Erick Hernandez records 319 touches of a soccer ball in one minute while keeping the ball aloft using his head.

2002 – USA – (Michigan) Adalberto Sanchez of Mexico balances a soccer ball on his head for 2 hours.

1986 – Czech Republic – Josef Lochman (again!) runs 1000 meters in 5 minutes while keeping a soccer ball aloft.

2000 – USA – (Illinois) A. Munoz (again!) completes a 200-meter run in 40 seconds while keeping a soccer ball aloft.

2001 – USA – A. Munoz (!) balances a soccer ball on his foot for 13 hours and 36 minutes.

2003 – USA – (Georgia) Tasha Terani sets the female record for 269 touches on a soccer ball in one minute while keeping the e ball aloft.

1993 – Poland – Jacek Roszkowski heads a soccer ball 173 times in 30 seconds.

1996 – Switzerland – Manfred Wagner runs 100 meters in 15.9 seconds while keeping a soccer ball aloft.

Columbian soccer player Andres Escobar Saldarriaga was shot and killed outside a bar in Medellin, Columbia under suspicious circumstances back in July of 1994. Andres’ girlfriend at the time claimed she heard the killer shout “Goooooooooaaaal!” with each of the twelve shots fired into Andres’ body. The long, drawn out shout mimicked the habit of Latin American sports commentators that are known for shouting “Goooooooooaaaal” every time a soccer goal is a scored.

Andres had been a soccer ball player on the Columbian national team and just weeks prior to his death had been on the field against the USA team during first round 1994 FIFA World Cup play. Columbia was heavily favored to win the soccer ball game and move on to the second round matches. However, Andres made a huge error during the soccer ball match and accidentally scored a goal against his own team, causing them to lose the match and the chance to move on to the second round of World Cup matches. Apparently, that mistake cost Andres his life.

Medellin was a hotbed of narcotics trafficking in Columbia at the time of the incident and home to several drug syndicates that bet heavily on local soccer ball matches. It was reported that several of Medellin’s drug lords lost large amounts of money bet on the Columbian team’s certain move past the Americans and into qualification for second round play in the ’94 World Cup. Although it was never proved, Andres’ unusual and unexplained death was widely assumed to be caused by his inadvertent goal for the American team.

A year later Humberto Muñoz Castro was found guilty of Andres’ death and sentenced to 43 years in prison. Castro served 11 years of his sentence and was subsequently released on good behavior. Today, the reason for the murder is still cause for speculation and Andres is still revered by Columbian soccer ball fans. The only lesson that can be taken from the curious case of Andres Escobar Saldarriaga is that if you are going to score soccer goals for the opposite team, you might want to leave town shortly thereafter.

Feminine participation with soccer balls goes back a lot farther than most people might guess. The sport has been largely male-dominated forever it would seem, as public soccer ball sports for women were outright banned for centuries in many cultures. In contrast, Chinese records from around 100 AD depict women playing a foot and ball kicking game. That privilege was subsequently revoked from the Chinese women and after many centuries of suppression the women’s game of kicking soccer balls around came back in the early 1920’s. As the Roaring Twenties hit the United States, Chinese women were playing with soccer balls half a world away.

The women’s soccer ball game was a bit different in England at that time however, with the Football Association (FA) decision that kicking soccer balls around was unsuitable for females and that clubs in the FA refuse the use of their fields for women’s matches with soccer balls.

After a lull, soccer for women started gaining momentum following the war in Europe. Norway, Sweden and Germany held international women’s soccer competitions in the ‘50’s and by 1960 several women’s national leagues had formed in those countries. The sport of kicking soccer balls around got off to a late start in the United States and didn’t really bloom until the ‘70’s. Real progress for women’s soccer came when the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) created the Women’s World Cup Championship in 1991.

Today, the playing field is vastly different and the US is the top country in the world for women’s soccer ball sport opportunities. After grabbing World Cup titles and Olympic medals, women’s soccer in the United States continues to gain popularity every year. The next time you see a group of young girls kicking soccer balls around, you might be looking at future world women’s soccer champions.

Major League Soccer salaries vary greatly. With the advent of the Designated Player rule, (allowance for one player to be paid outside of salary cap restraints) salaries for top earners have increased, but for the majority of players, salaries are still low. As of 2008, the salary cap for each team was set at 2.3 million. The World Cup championships are the largest global sporting events, and include some of the best paid athletes in the world too. But not everyone makes the big money.

Some of the biggest news in international soccer concerns Englishman David Beckham and his reported $250 million deal with the LA Galaxy and now on loan to Real Madrid. Soccer ball stars like Beckham’s big salaries are a result of soccer’s global popularity. Unlike baseball and American football, soccer has a worldwide fan base from the slums of Rio de Janeiro to Beijing, China. The average soccer ball player salary in the MSL is $115,432. Will Beckham actually earn $250 million? Maybe with endorsement deals. The rumor of Beckham’s widely reported $250 million annual salary was created by Simon Fuller of American Idol fame. Fuller is Beckham’s business representative and has subsequently claimed he was referring only to the “potential value” of Beckham’s contract.

Top Ten MLS Soccer Salaries

1. David Beckham –Los Angeles Galaxy – $6,500,000

2. Cuauhtemoc Blanco – Chicago Fire – $2,666,000

3. Marcelo Gallardo -DC United – $1,874,000

4. Juan Pablo Angel – NY Red Bulls -$1,593,750

5. Landon Donovan – Los Angeles Galaxy – $900,000

6. Claudio Lopez – Kansas City Wizards – $820,000

7. Luciano Emilio – DC United – $759,000

8. Carlos Ruiz – Toronto FC – $460,000

9. Christian Gomez – Colorado Rapids – $430,000

10. Duilio Davino – FC Dallas – $400,000