Let's explore How to get into Football or soccer?

Football or soccer is the most popular sport in the world. How to get into Football or soccer

To get into football or soccer, start at an early age to get the fundamentals. You can register your son or daughter as soon as they are 4 years old in Minor Soccer Associations in your city. I currently coach my own son's team at SWU Soccer club in Calgary and it is a delight. At that age, all they do is kick and run around with the ball. If you are not lucky enough to have started at an early age, you can still catch up. Whatever your age, ability, fitness level or size, there is a type of football suitable for you. The only equipment that you need is a football or a soccer ball. Join a pick up team and play with friends on a weekly basis. You can play 5 a side or 11 a side. Playing pick up games increases your fitness and improves your game. It is also a good way to see your mates.

If you want to take it to another level, there are amateur leagues in almost every city in the world. You can join a team in those league and play competitive games and test yourself against higher caliber players. Read more here. Here are the different types of football games:
  1. Kickabout or street soccer Friends and strangers meet and play on any surface they can find (street, park, backyard, basketball court, etc). It is called pelada in Brazil, Damba in Cameroon, kickabout in England, Footy or Le foot in France, etc. There is no referee, the only rule is no handball, goals are often made with bags. It is a lot of fun and the best way to improvise and develop instinctive football skills.
  2. 5, 6 or 7 a side (indoor and outdoor soccer) Very popular on smaller outdoor fields and indoor soccer games. ShowUpAndPlaySoccer organize indoor and outdoor pick up games in Alberta.
  3. 11-a-side Games are played on large outdoor or indoor fields. It usually involves 2 teams playing against each other.
  4. Junior football Minor league games from U4 to U16.
  5. Futsal "Futsal is the perfect transitional game between traditional five-a-side and 11-a-side. It differs significantly from the five-a-side games, with heavier balls, a five-foul limit, time-outs per half and the fact matches are played within confines of lines. Quick decision making is key, and with short bursts of high speed movement, the health benefits are fantastic. Even stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Xavi and Fabregas have used Futsal as a way to keep in shape"
  6. Women's football or Women's soccer Women's Football or soccer is very popular in US and Canada. It is exactly the same game played by men with same rules and it is fun to watch. "With 1.4 million women and girls playing football, there's no doubt that it's the nation's most popular female team participation sport."
  7. Co-Ed Soccer Men and women mix together to play. Co-Ed Leagues are recreational and usually requires a minimum number of women per team. It allows couples to play together in the same team.
  8. Walking football "Walking Football a slow-paced version of the beautiful game aimed at the over 50s. Walking Football is designed to help people keep an active lifestyle despite their age, as well as getting those back playing football who had to stop due to injuries. The game is gaining momentum but is still not quite mainstream."
  9. Disability football "Disability football is well served across Britain, with a host of different opportunities for different groups of people."
  10. Freestyle football "Anyone can get into freestyle football - all you need is a ball! It is the art and sport of juggling a football using all parts of the body to entertain audiences and outperform opponents in competitions."
  11. Bubble soccer "Bubble Soccer, Bubble Ball Soccer, Bumper Ball or whatever you want to call it. The game is simple, the rules are simple and excitement is full. The rules not very different from soccer game. Using an inflatable zorb like bubble, you can smash into other players and find yourself literally rolling away with the ball wrapped around you, bouncing around, laughing and making others laugh."

Sources: BBC Football