足球(football)，亦称association football或soccer。
目前世界上流行最广、影响最大的球类运动之一。古代中国、罗马、希腊、墨西哥和日本都有类似足球的游戏，後来由罗马士兵传到欧洲各地。英国剑桥大学等学校於19世纪初出现足球运动。足球协会於1863年成立，英国人将足球传到欧洲各地、巴西和美国。1904年一些欧洲国家共同成立国际足球联合会（FIFA），透过国际足联主席里梅（Jules Rimet）的努力，世界盃足球赛得以开办（1930年起每四年举行一次，与奥运会错开）。1908年列入奥运会比赛项目。欧洲盃足球赛始於1955年，由参加欧洲足球协会的三十三个国家派队参加。足球比赛时，各队队员力争设法使球进入对方球门，除不得用手和臂以外，可使用身体任何部位，球入对方球门则本队得一分，得分多者胜。球圆形，为充气橡胶球胆，护以革壳，周长68～71公分，重435～497克。队员用头顶或脚踢方法与本队队员互相传球，也可带球。十一名队员中，只有守门员可用手，但守门员不得出罚球区。每一场为九十分钟，分均等的上、下半场，中间休息五分钟，交换场地。比赛时有裁判员兼计时员一人，巡边员二人。亦请参阅Australian rules football、football, American、Gaelic football、rugby。
English version：
football
orsoccerGame in which two 11-member teams try to propel a ball into the opposing team's goal, using any part of the body except the hands and arms. Only the goalkeeper, when positioned within the penalty area in front of the goal, may use hands and arms. The first uniform set of soccer rules was put in place in 1863, when England's Football Association was created. Professional leagues began appearing in the late 1880s, first in England and then in other countries. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) was founded in 1904, and has hosted the World Cup every four years since 1930. Soccer has been included in the Olympic Games since 1908. Now played on all continents in over 150 nations, with over 40 million registered players, it is the world's most popular ball game. See also Australian Rules football, Gaelic football, football (gridiron), and rugby.
