A Comparison of American Football and Soccer

American football and soccer are among the most popular sports in the world, These two sports attract a lot of funs all over the world. A problem always arises in trying to distinguish American football from soccer, Most countries of the world use the word football to refer to soccer as football basically signifies a sport that is played by the legs. American football is played using the hands and only one player is allowed to play using the legs only in a few occasions In the midst of trying to come up with a clear cutting line between what American football is and what soccer is there arises differences and similarities with both the sports.

The main difference between American football and soccer is that soccer is usually played using the legs by kicking the ball and only the goal keeper is allowed to touch the ball with his hands, that is, when the ball is within his area of play.

The ball can also be touched using the hands by players only when the ball goes out of the field and it needs be thrown in for the game to continue.

On the other hand American football is played by throwing the ball using the hands and the ball can only be kicked by one person when a field goal is required, Another difference is that American football is an intense sport compared to soccer. The sport requires a lot of physical aggression and speed on the part of the players.

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Soccer does not require a lot as it only involves running around the field and kicking the ball towards the goal post of the opposing team. Another striking difference is that American football requires a lot of protective gear because it is an aggressive sport. The players in American football need be equipped with helmets, shoulder and girdle pads and mouth guards to avoid serious injuries. In soccer the players only need to be equipped with football boots and shin pads.

The referees in both the sports also present a difference between the two popular sports in the world. In American football only three referees are required while in soccer five referees are required, In soccer one referee is situated in field, two referees are situated at the offside and the other two are out of the playing area carefully monitoring the game as it goes on. Another difference is that in American football the goal is above the ground while in soccer the goal is on the ground and it has a net The goal in American football does not have a net With this difference it is easy to say that scoring in soccer is much easier than scoring in American football The object of the game in soccer is to score a goal, which is, put the ball in the opponent‘s goalr In American football the object of the game is to get points by carrying the ball beyond the opponent’s touch line, popularly known as a touchdown.

In soccer one goal equals one point and therefore the more goals a team scores the more points they gunneri In American football a touchdown is equal to six points while a field goal is three points American football in most instances is said to be closely related to rugby because it requires a lot of aggression and speed plus a lot of force compared to soccer, The timelines in which the two sports are played are not the same, Soccer is played for a total of ninety minutes with only one half time after forty five minutes There is usually added time where some time was used to substitute players, American football is played for sixty minutes with four fifteen minute quarters. The half time is allowed after the second quarter. The game clock usually stops between plays. It should also be noted that time outs are only allowed in American football and not soccer.

There is also a difference in the balls that are used in playing both American football and soccer. In soccer the ball used is round while in American football the ball used is oval and mostly resembles that used in rugby. American football is only played in the United States of America while soccer is played worldwide. American football is governed by the National Football League (NFL) while soccer is governed by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA)t Even though American football and soccer have a lot of differences, there are also some similarities. Both American football and soccer and recognized worldwide and they have a wide fan base. They are also outdoor games Another similarity is that both the sports have strict rules and regulations that govern the behavior of the players and guidelines on how the games are to be played. Both American football and soccer are played between two teams. These teams each have eleven players in the field In both games the teams also need be in uniform.

The eleven players in soccer include the goal keeper. Another striking similarity is that both the games are played in a rectangular field which has grass grown in it In both American football and soccer the players play in perfect harmony and proper coordination. In both the sports there need be referees who ensure that the sports are fairly played. Both the games usually draw a very large fan base. Commentators are there in both the sports. Moreover, both the sports involve a lot of running in the field and the exchange of the ball among players. In both American football and soccer there is a goal for each team, The ball is to be directed to the goal of the opposing team in order to score points. Both the sports also have defensive and offensive players plus a goal keeper. Another similarity is that both teams in American football and soccer are allowed to have up to twenty two players on their rosters. In conclusion, American football and soccer have very many differences that make them the sports that they are today