127 Fun Facts About Soccer Trivia for Kids

How many players does each soccer team have on the field at the start of a match?

Eleven players per side start a match, including one goalkeeper; the Laws of the Game abandon a match if a team drops below seven players.

Which player is the only one allowed to pick up the ball with their hands during play?

Even the goalkeeper can only do it inside their own penalty area.

How long is each half of a regular soccer match?

Each half lasts 45 minutes, so two halves make 90 minutes, plus whatever stoppage time the referee adds on at the end of each half.

Roughly how many people play soccer around the world, making it the planet's most popular sport?

About 250 million people play soccer: FIFA's 2006 Big Count tallied roughly 265 million players in more than 200 countries and territories, far more than any other sport.

How often is the men's FIFA World Cup held?

The men's World Cup is held every four years, with 22 editions played between 1930 and 2022; only a world war has ever interrupted the cycle.

Which country hosted and won the very first World Cup in 1930?

Uruguay was picked partly because it was celebrating 100 years of independence that year.

Which country has won the men's World Cup five times, more than any other nation, and has played in every tournament?

Brazil has five World Cup titles, the most of any team, and is also the only team that has played in every single World Cup.

Which country won the 2026 World Cup, beating Argentina 1-0 in the final?

Spain let in only one goal in the whole tournament, and it was also the reigning women's world champion.

How many teams played at the 2026 World Cup?

The 2026 World Cup expanded to 48 teams, up from 32, and was the first shared by three host countries, with games spread across 16 cities.

Which player won the Golden Boot as top scorer at the 2026 World Cup with 10 goals?

It was his second Golden Boot in a row, and he became the World Cup's all-time leading scorer.

What is it called when one player scores three goals in a single game?

Three goals by one player in a game is a hat-trick; by tradition the scorer keeps the match ball afterwards, while two goals is called a brace.

How far from the goal line is the penalty spot?

The penalty spot is 12 yards (11 metres) from the goal line, at the centre of the 18-yard box; penalty kicks were added to the Laws in 1891.

What does the referee show a player who is being sent off the field?

A red card means the player is sent off; the team cannot replace a dismissed player and has to finish the game a player short.

A player who gets a yellow card and then a second yellow card in the same match is what?

A second yellow card in the same match means the player is sent off: two cautions add up to a red card, and the team plays on a player short.

Which Brazilian legend is the only player to have won three World Cups, in 1958, 1962 and 1970?

Pelé won his first World Cup in 1958 at just 17 years old and was nicknamed O Rei, the King.

Which MLS club did Lionel Messi join in 2023?

Messi signed for Inter Miami in July 2023 after 21 years at Barcelona and two seasons in France, having captained Argentina to the 2022 World Cup.

How many times has Lionel Messi won the Ballon d'Or, a record?

Eight: Messi won the Ballon d'Or in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023; Cristiano Ronaldo is next with five.

Which national team has Cristiano Ronaldo captained?

Cristiano Ronaldo has captained Portugal since 2008, leading the team to Euro 2016, the country's first major trophy, and the 2019 UEFA Nations League.

Which country has won the Women's World Cup the most times, with four titles?

The USA's fourth win came in France in 2019.

Where was the first Women's World Cup held in 1991?

China hosted the first Women's World Cup in November 1991, with the final in Guangzhou; it was officially billed as the FIFA World Championship for Women's Football.

What is the top soccer division in the country that invented the modern game called?

The Premier League is England's top division, formed when the old First Division clubs broke away to run their own competition; its bottom three drop to the Championship each season.

Which club has won the Champions League more times than any other?

Real Madrid won the first five European Cups (1956-60) and claimed a 15th title in 2024, more than double any other club.

What restart is given when the defending team knocks the ball out over its own goal line?

A corner kick is awarded when the defending team last touches the ball before it crosses its own goal line; the attackers take it from the nearest corner arc.

How must a player deliver a throw-in?

A throw-in must be delivered with both hands from behind and over the head, facing the field, with part of each foot on or behind the touchline.

The rule that stops attackers from waiting next to the other team's goal for a pass is called what?

You are offside if you are nearer the goal line than both the ball and the second-last defender when the ball is played.

What is it called when a player accidentally puts the ball into their own team's net?

An own goal is when a player puts the ball into their own net; it counts for the opposing team no matter how it went in.

How wide is a full-size soccer goal, measured between the posts?

A full-size goal is 8 yards (7.32 metres) wide, with the crossbar 8 feet (2.44 metres) high, giving a goal mouth of 192 square feet.

What acrobatic move sees a player strike the ball backwards over their own head while in midair?

A bicycle kick, also called an overhead kick or scissors kick, sees the player flip backwards in midair to volley the ball; Pelé and Hugo Sánchez made it famous.

If you dribble the ball between a defender's legs, what trick have you pulled off?

A nutmeg is playing the ball between an opponent's legs; in Britain the victim is said to have been 'megged', and ice hockey's five-hole borrows the same idea.

Which Norwegian striker scored 36 Premier League goals in a season for Manchester City?

Erling Haaland scored 36 Premier League goals in 2022-23, his first season at Manchester City, beating the 34 of Andy Cole and Alan Shearer; he once scored nine against Honduras at the 2019 Under-20 World Cup.

What does Marta's nickname 'Rainha', used by fans in her home country, mean in English?

Rainha is Portuguese for Queen; Marta won both the Golden Ball and Golden Boot at the 2007 Women's World Cup and scored 17 goals across her World Cup appearances from 2003 to 2023.

Maradona's 1986 'Hand of God' goal for Argentina came against which team?

The Hand of God came against England at the Azteca on 22 June 1986; four minutes later Maradona ran half the length of the pitch for FIFA's Goal of the Century.

Which squad number is almost always given to a team's first-choice keeper?

The number 1 shirt goes to the first-choice goalkeeper, a custom from the 1930s when numbers followed the 2-3-5 formation from the keeper forward; backups often wear 12 or 13.

How can you spot the team captain on the field?

The captain wears an armband on the upper arm; captains have no special powers under the Laws but take the coin toss and carry responsibility for the team's behaviour.

Which country was the first to host the World Cup three times, in 1970, 1986 and 2026?

Mexico hosted in 1970, 1986 and 2026, the first country to do so three times; in 2026 it shared hosting with the United States and Canada.

Which Spanish midfielder won the Golden Ball as best player of the 2026 World Cup?

He captained Spain to the title, its first since 2010.

What is the maximum number of substitutions a team can normally make in a 90-minute match?

Teams get one extra swap if the game goes to extra time.

How many World Cups has Argentina won?

Its wins came in 1978, 1986 and 2022, and it lost the 2026 final to Spain.

Soccer's video referee system for goals and red cards is known by which three letters?

VAR stands for Video Assistant Referee; it reviews goals, penalty decisions, direct red cards and mistaken identity, and entered the Laws of the Game in 2018.

Which ball size is used in adult and professional soccer matches?

Size 5 is the adult ball: 68 to 70 centimetres around and 410 to 450 grams, while younger children play with size 3 and size 4 balls.

How many assistant referees with flags normally help the referee in a match?

Two assistant referees, one on each touchline, raise their flags for offsides, throw-ins and fouls the referee cannot see.

How far from the ball must opponents stand at a free kick?

Opponents must be at least 10 yards (9.15 metres) from the ball at a free kick, which is why referees pace out the wall and mark it with vanishing spray.

In what year were the Laws of the Game first written down?

The Football Association, formed in October 1863, adopted the first Laws of the Game that December, drafted by its first secretary Ebenezer Cobb Morley.

Which group has looked after soccer's rules since 1886?

IFAB, the International Football Association Board, was founded in 1886 by the English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish associations; FIFA joined in 1913 and holds four of its eight votes.

In soccer, for a goal to count, how much of the ball must cross the goal line between the posts?

All of it must cross; if any part of the ball is still on or above the line, no goal is scored and play simply carries on.

What colour must an artificial soccer surface be under the rules?

Law 1, The Field of Play, says artificial surfaces must be green; natural, artificial or hybrid surfaces are all allowed where competition rules permit.

How can you tell the goalkeeper apart from the other players?

The goalkeeper must wear a different coloured shirt from both teams' outfield players and the officials; gloves are optional, and a keeper is the only compulsory position.

What stops a keeper handling a ball deliberately kicked to them by a teammate?

The back-pass law, brought in after the 1990 World Cup to cut time-wasting, bars keepers from handling a deliberate kick from a teammate, though headers and chest passes may be picked up.

Which Soviet goalkeeper was nicknamed the 'Black Spider' for his all-black kit?

Lev Yashin, the Soviet keeper who played in all black, won the 1963 Ballon d'Or, the first goalkeeper to take the award; he spent his whole club career at Dynamo Moscow.

Which two players are the only ones allowed inside the penalty area during a penalty kick?

Only the kicker and the goalkeeper may be inside the penalty area during a penalty kick; everyone else must stay outside the area and the D, at least 10 yards from the spot.

What happens if a penalty shoot-out is still level after five kicks each?

If the scores are level after five kicks each, the shoot-out goes to sudden death: one kick each until one team scores and the other misses.

What is it called when a corner kick flies straight into the net untouched?

An Olimpico goal, scored directly from a corner, takes its name from Argentina's Cesáreo Onzari, who scored one against Olympic champions Uruguay in 1924.

Which law of the game covers offside?

Law 11 is Offside; Law 12 covers fouls and misconduct, Law 14 the penalty kick and Law 17 the corner kick.

Which English referee came up with the idea of yellow and red cards?

Ken Aston, an English referee who headed FIFA's Referees' Committee, devised the card system after language confusion over bookings at England v Argentina at the 1966 World Cup.

Yellow and red cards were used for the first time at which World Cup?

Yellow and red cards debuted at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico; no red card was shown that tournament, the first coming at the 1974 World Cup.

What everyday object inspired the colours of yellow and red cards?

Traffic lights: Ken Aston hit on the idea while stopped at a light on Kensington High Street, reasoning that yellow for caution and red for stop would be understood in any language.

What were assistant referees called until 1996?

Assistant referees were called linesmen until 1996, when the name changed to reflect their wider role; they flag for offsides, throw-ins and fouls the referee misses.

Who looks after the technical areas and helps with paperwork at big matches?

The fourth official manages the technical areas, checks substitutes' equipment and handles the paperwork, and takes over if the referee or an assistant cannot continue.

How many panels does the classic black-and-white soccer ball design have?

Eigil Nielsen developed the design in 1962, and the Adidas Telstar made it famous.

Which famous Adidas ball made the black-and-white panel design a symbol of soccer?

The Adidas Telstar, used at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, was designed to show up on black-and-white television; its name comes from the Telstar communications satellite.

In which Swiss city is FIFA's headquarters?

FIFA's headquarters has been in Zurich since 1932, when it moved from Paris; the Home of FIFA building on the Zürichberg opened in 2007.

How many national associations belong to FIFA?

FIFA reached 211 member associations when Gibraltar and Kosovo joined in 2016, more than the United Nations' 193; every member also belongs to one of six regional confederations.

Which confederation looks after soccer in South America?

CONMEBOL, founded in 1916, is the South American confederation, with ten members from Argentina to Venezuela; CONCACAF covers North and Central America and the Caribbean.

In which two years was the World Cup not held because of World War II?

The 1942 and 1946 World Cups were cancelled because of World War II; the tournament resumed in 1950, twelve years after France 1938.

About how many people watched the 2022 World Cup final?

About 1.5 billion people watched the Argentina v France final on FIFA's estimate, with around 5 billion engaging with the 2022 tournament overall.

Which trophy was awarded to World Cup winners from 1930 to 1970?

The Jules Rimet Trophy, renamed in 1946 after FIFA's long-serving president, showed Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, and was awarded from 1930 until 1970.

How much does the World Cup trophy introduced in 1974 weigh?

The FIFA World Cup Trophy weighs about 6 kilograms (6.175 kg), stands 36.8 cm high and is made of 18-karat gold with two malachite bands, showing two figures holding up the Earth.

What was the Champions League called when it started in 1955?

The European Cup began in 1955-56, won by Real Madrid, and for decades admitted only national league champions; it became the Champions League in the early 1990s.

How many clubs play in the Premier League each season?

Each team plays 38 matches, home and away against everyone else, from August to May.

What is the oldest national soccer cup competition in the world?

The FA Cup, first played in 1871-72 and won by Wanderers, is the world's oldest national football competition; clubs from the top flight down to amateur level can enter.

In what year was the Premier League founded?

The Premier League was founded in 1992 when First Division clubs broke away to sell their own TV rights; the Football League had run the top tier since 1888.

How many teams played in Major League Soccer in the 2025 season?

MLS had 30 clubs in 2025 after San Diego FC joined: 27 in the United States and three in Canada (Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver).

MLS was founded in 1993 as part of the US bid to host which event?

Hosting the 1994 World Cup was granted on condition that the United States create a top-flight professional league, which became MLS, founded in December 1993.

How many teams played in the very first MLS season in 1996?

Ten teams played MLS's first season in 1996, D.C. United winning the first MLS Cup; Miami Fusion and Tampa Bay Mutiny folded in 2002 before the league grew.

Which country has won the Copa América the most times?

Argentina has 16 Copa América titles after winning in 2021 and 2024, one more than Uruguay's 15; it also hosted the first tournament in 1916.

Which two South American countries have never won the Copa América?

Ecuador and Venezuela are the only CONMEBOL nations never to win the Copa América; even Bolivia (1963) and Colombia (2001) have one title each.

What was the European Championship called before it was renamed in 1968?

The 1960 and 1964 tournaments were called the European Nations' Cup; UEFA renamed the competition the European Football Championship for the 1968 edition, won by Italy.

Which two countries co-hosted the 2023 Women's World Cup?

Australia and New Zealand co-hosted the 2023 Women's World Cup, the first shared between two confederations; Spain beat England 1-0 in the final in Sydney.

Which country has won the Women's World Cup twice, second only to the United States?

Germany won the Women's World Cup in 2003 and 2007, the only nation besides the United States with more than one title; Norway, Japan and Spain have one each.

In which Argentine city was Lionel Messi born?

Messi was born in Rosario on 24 June 1987 and moved to Barcelona at 13, later scoring a club-record 672 goals for the Catalans.

How many goals did Messi score in a single calendar year, a world record?

Messi scored 91 goals in 2012, 79 for Barcelona and 12 for Argentina, beating Gerd Müller's 85 from 1972.

On which island was Cristiano Ronaldo born?

Ronaldo was born in Funchal, the capital of Madeira, in 1985 and started at Sporting CP before joining Manchester United in 2003.

In which country was Cristiano Ronaldo playing club soccer when he turned 40?

Saudi Arabia: Ronaldo joined Al Nassr of Riyadh in January 2023 after leaving Manchester United, and turned 40 there in February 2025.

Which Italian club did Cristiano Ronaldo join from Real Madrid in 2018?

Ronaldo joined Juventus from Real Madrid in July 2018 for about €100 million and won two Serie A titles before returning to Manchester United in 2021.

Which Brazilian club did Neymar first play for as a teenager?

Neymar made his Santos debut at 17 in 2009 and led the club to the 2011 Copa Libertadores, its first since Pelé's era, before joining Barcelona in 2013.

Which French club is Kylian Mbappé's all-time top scorer?

Mbappé scored 256 goals for Paris Saint-Germain between 2017 and 2024, passing Edinson Cavani's 200, before joining Real Madrid.

How old was Mbappé when he signed for PSG in 2017?

Mbappé was 18 when he joined PSG from Monaco in August 2017, a loan that became a €180 million transfer, the second-highest fee in history at the time.

Which Austrian club did Erling Haaland join in 2019 before Borussia Dortmund?

Haaland joined Red Bull Salzburg from Molde in January 2019, scored eight goals in his first Champions League group stage, and moved to Dortmund in January 2020.

Which awards did Megan Rapinoe win at the 2019 Women's World Cup?

Rapinoe won both the Golden Boot and the Golden Ball at the 2019 World Cup, scoring six goals, three of them penalties, as the United States won its fourth title.

For which NWSL club did Megan Rapinoe spend most of her career?

Rapinoe played for Seattle Reign FC (known for a spell as OL Reign) from the NWSL's first season in 2013 until she retired in 2023.

How many World Cups did Alex Morgan play in for the United States?

She won in 2015 and 2019 and finished second in 2011; she also won Olympic gold in 2012.

What nickname have fans given Mohamed Salah?

The Egyptian King is Liverpool fans' name for Salah, who joined from Roma in 2017 and scored 32 league goals in his first season, then a record for a 38-game campaign.

Which shirt number did David Beckham wear at Real Madrid and LA Galaxy?

Beckham took the number 23 at Real Madrid in 2003 because Raúl had the 7, and kept it at LA Galaxy; he said it was a nod to Michael Jordan.

How old was David Beckham when he made his Manchester United first-team debut?

Beckham was 17 when he came on against Brighton in the League Cup in September 1992; he went on to win six Premier League titles and the 1999 Champions League.

Which Italian club did David Beckham join on loan in 2009 and 2010?

Beckham joined AC Milan on loan from LA Galaxy in January 2009 and again in 2010, when a torn Achilles tendon cost him the 2010 World Cup.

What is Zinedine Zidane's popular nickname?

Zizou is the affectionate short form of Zinedine; he was FIFA World Player of the Year in 1998, 2000 and 2003 and won the 1998 Ballon d'Or.

Which player did Zidane headbutt in the 2006 World Cup final?

Zidane headbutted Italy's Marco Materazzi in the chest in extra time of the 2006 final after an exchange of words; he was sent off yet won the tournament's Golden Ball.

What does Ronaldinho's nickname 'O Bruxo' mean?

O Bruxo is Portuguese for The Wizard, a nod to Ronaldinho's tricks; he won the 2002 World Cup, the 2005 Ballon d'Or and the 2006 Champions League with Barcelona.

How many goals did Pelé score in his career, a Guinness World Record?

Guinness credits Pelé with 1,279 goals in 1,363 games between 1956 and 1977, including friendlies and exhibitions; the IOC named him Athlete of the Century in 1999.

How old was Pelé when he first played for his national team?

He had joined the club Santos a year earlier at 15.

What does Maradona's nickname 'El Pibe de Oro' mean?

El Pibe de Oro is Spanish for The Golden Boy, a nickname from his teenage years at Argentinos Juniors, where he debuted at 15 in 1976.

Which Italian club did Maradona lead to its first ever Serie A title?

Maradona led Napoli to its first Serie A title in 1987 and a second in 1990, plus the 1989 UEFA Cup; the club later retired his number 10 shirt.

In which round of the 1986 World Cup did Argentina beat England 2-1?

Argentina beat England 2-1 in the quarter-final at the Azteca on 22 June 1986, then beat Belgium 2-0 in the semi-final and West Germany 3-2 in the final.

What does the 'Real' in Real Madrid mean?

King Alfonso XIII gave the club the title in 1920; they have worn white ever since 1902.

Since which year has Real Madrid played at the Bernabéu?

Real Madrid moved into the stadium in December 1947, when it was called the Nuevo Chamartín; it was renamed after president Santiago Bernabéu in 1955.

In what year did Manchester United move into Old Trafford?

Manchester United moved from Bank Street in Clayton to Old Trafford in February 1910, and won the league title in its first full season there, 1910-11.

Whom did Wayne Rooney pass in 2017 to become Manchester United's all-time top scorer?

Rooney's 250th United goal, a free-kick at Stoke in January 2017, took him past Bobby Charlton's 249, a club record that had stood since 1973.

What is the name of Liverpool's home ground?

Liverpool has played at Anfield since the club was founded in 1892, after Everton left the ground in a rent dispute and moved to Goodison Park.

What is Liverpool's famous club anthem?

You'll Never Walk Alone, a Rodgers and Hammerstein song from the musical Carousel, became Liverpool's anthem after Gerry and the Pacemakers' 1963 hit version.

How many German league titles had Bayern Munich won by the end of the 2025-26 season?

That includes eleven in a row from 2013 to 2023; the club was founded in 1900 by eleven players.

What are soccer boots often called in North America?

Cleats is the North American word for soccer boots, named for the studs on the sole that grip grass; the earliest football boots were heavy workboots with nailed-on studs.

Which turn sees a player fake a pass, then drag the ball behind the standing leg?

The Cruyff turn is named after Johan Cruyff, who fooled Sweden's Jan Olsson with it at the 1974 World Cup by feigning a cross and dragging the ball behind his standing leg.

Which annual award has France Football handed out since 1956?

The Ballon d'Or has been awarded by France Football since 1956, when Stanley Matthews won the first; it was limited to European players until 1995 and went global in 2007.

At which Olympics was women's soccer added to the official programme?

Atlanta 1996 brought women's soccer to the Olympic programme; men's soccer has been at every Summer Games except 1896 and 1932.

Which Australian striker is famous for celebrating goals with a backflip?

Sam Kerr, Australia's record goalscorer, has marked goals with a backflip since her early days at Perth Glory; she captained the Matildas at the 2023 World Cup on home soil.

How many times has Marta been named FIFA World Player of the Year?

Six: Marta was FIFA World Player of the Year five years running from 2006 to 2010 and won The Best award in 2018, the most of any woman.

Which college team did Mia Hamm help win four NCAA championships?

Hamm won four NCAA titles with the North Carolina Tar Heels (1989, 1990, 1992 and 1993) under coach Anson Dorrance, plus World Cups in 1991 and 1999.

How many international goals did Abby Wambach score for the United States?

Wambach scored 184 goals in 255 games for the United States between 2001 and 2015, a world record when she retired, later passed by Canada's Christine Sinclair.

At which tournament did Jude Bellingham become England's youngest ever major-tournament player?

Bellingham came on against Croatia at Euro 2020 (played in 2021) aged 17 years and 349 days, England's youngest player at a major tournament.

What is the name of Barcelona's youth academy where Lamine Yamal was trained?

La Masia, Barcelona's academy named after the old farmhouse beside the stadium, produced Yamal, who debuted for the first team at 15 in April 2023.

Which Brazilian club did Vinícius Júnior play for before Real Madrid?

Vinícius Júnior came through Flamengo's academy and made his senior debut there at 16; Real Madrid agreed a €45 million fee in 2017 and he joined after turning 18 in 2018.

Which English club is Harry Kane the all-time top scorer for?

Kane scored 280 goals for Tottenham Hotspur between 2011 and 2023, passing Jimmy Greaves' 266, before joining Bayern Munich.

What is Christian Pulisic's nickname?

Captain America is the nickname Dortmund fans gave Pulisic, who grew up in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and in 2021 became the first American to play in a Champions League final.

In the TV show Ted Lasso, which fictional English club does Ted coach?

Ted coaches A.F.C. Richmond, a fictional Premier League club from south-west London; the show won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2021 and 2022.

Which actress plays Jules Paxton in the 2002 film Bend It Like Beckham?

Keira Knightley plays Jules Paxton, Jess's teammate at the Hounslow Harriers; Parminder Nagra plays Jess Bhamra, whose parents oppose her soccer dreams.

What is a throw-in called in Scotland?

A shy is the Scottish word for a throw-in, from an old sense of 'shy' meaning to throw; throw-ins are covered by Law 15 of the Laws of the Game.

Which two English-speaking FIFA countries officially use the word 'soccer' instead of 'football'?

Canada and the United States: their governing bodies are Canada Soccer and the United States Soccer Federation, while Australia's became Football Australia and New Zealand's became New Zealand Football.