Soccer 101: Become a Fan

It was impossible not to catch soccer fever in 2010. We loved the people and we loved the soccer.

Our anthem: Learn it. Love it. Live it.

We love our national anthem more than ever. Thanks to iBurst, we learnt it word for word. Download a PDF of the anthem here and share it with your friends.

To read more about this anthem, visit www.myanthem.co.za. 

Cheat sheet

• There are 11 players per side: a goalkeeper, midfielders, defenders, and strikers/forwards.
• The game is played for 90 minutes, consisting of two 45-minute halves.
• In professional matches the referee adds in time to make up for injuries and the substituting of players.
• Games are played on a rectangular pitch with goal posts at either end.

 

2010 World Cup format

The 2010 World Cup will be divided into three stages:

In the qualifying round, which is taking place now, teams from all the continents play one another.

In 2010, the teams are divided into groups and earn points for winning games. The two teams with the most points in their group at the end of the stage move on to the knockout stage.

In the knockout stage, the final eight play against one another, moving from the quarter-finals to the semi-finals and lastly the grand finale. In this stage if any game ends in a draw (equal score), an extra 30 minutes is added to the game. If no one scores in the extra time, the game will end in a penalty shoot-out. This means that each team will be given five chances to kick for goal, and the team with the highest score wins the game.

The rules

Learning the rules of the game is helpful, but not necessary; a few key rules should see you through:

• During normal play, a player cannot touch the ball with his arms or hands. He cannot hold back another player using his hands either. The only player who is allowed to touch the ball with his hands is the goalkeeper. If another player touches the ball, it’s called a hand ball and the opposition gets a free kick.
• A free kick is taken from where the foul (or transgression) happened. If the foul happens in the goal area (the square including the goalposts – the box), however, it can be taken anywhere inside this area. The ball must be stationary and the opposition must stay at least 9.15m away from the ball, and outside the goal area if it’s taken in there. To take advantage of this, players often take the free kick quickly before the opposition are ready for it.
• The offside rule might seem complicated but in reality is simple to understand. If you have the time to watch, check out this video on Youtube –  it explains the offside rule and the penalty kicks rule. In its simplest form, a player is “offside” if he interferes with play while he is nearer to the goal he is attacking than the ball or any opposing player (excluding the goalkeeper)
• A corner kick only happens when the ball is kicked out between the goal post and the corner flag, the width of the field. The team that kicked the ball out loses the ball to the opposition. The opposition gets the corner kick and the opportunity to attack the goal.

Being a fan

• First pick your team! When you arrive at the stadium, you need to show who you’re supporting. Wearing your team’s colours is the first step, arming yourself with a vuvuzela to make some noise is the second. Getting your team’s flag is a great way to show your allegiance and is fun to wave when your team runs out on to the pitch.
• Learn some facts about your team. Who is their star player? Who is the captain? By learning just five interesting things, you give yourself the confidence to chat to even the most “hardcore” soccer fans.
• Before your first live game, watch a game on TV, any match. The English Premier League is best, as it’ll give you an idea of how the game is played. It’s best to watch in an atmosphere-filled environment, like a pub. This gives you a chance to pick up some soccer lingo that you can shout when your team scores a goal.
• Many soccer fans learn to love the game more by playing it. This is as easy as 1, 2, 3. All you need is a soccer ball and some mates who are keen for some fun. Find a quiet street that’s safe to play on, agree on boundary lines and your goal posts, kick the ball and have some fun.

Join the Diski Movement

South African Tourism’s 2010 video is going to have the world dancing to the Diski beat. Diski (meaning soccer in township lingo) is a rhythmic dance designed to get your feet moving. Check out the video below to see how we South Africans do it. Viva 2010 Viva!

For those of you who want to learn the Diski, there is a tutorial, giving you guided steps like “tsamaya” and the “table mountain”. All you need to do is put on your dancing shoes.

To see more of South African Tourism’s videos, go to You Tube or their website.