Linguistically speaking, Football is an ambiguous term.
Consider it this way: when you ask who is the most important player in football, Americans will answer ‘the Quarterback’ and Europeans will answer ‘the Striker or Forward.’
Confusing, right?
There is no Forward in America’s version of football, and there is no Quarterback in Football that is played in the European nations. So, the term soccer is more apt at times to refer to Association Football.
This is why it is important to learn and understand the difference between American Football and Soccer, which also goes by the name football, or you might get caught up in the constant linguistic tug-of-war on the usage of the two terms.
In case you are wondering, here is the reason why football is called soccer.
So, let’s begin.
Difference between American Football and Soccer.
Football, or Soccer is the most watched and well-liked sport in the world, drawing in over a billion spectators worldwide.
However, in America, there is another which takes the crown of the most popular sport. Yes, you guessed it right. It is American football.
This is getting confusing now; let’s dive straight into the differences between the two sports.
| Aspect | American Football (Gridiron) | Soccer (Football) |
|---|---|---|
| Also Known As | Gridiron | Football (in most parts of the world) |
| Where It’s Played | Mostly in the USA and Canada | Played worldwide |
| Ball Shape | Elongated spheroid | Spherical |
| Ball Size and Weight | 56 cm in diameter, 28 cm length, weighs 0.875 pounds | 68–70 cm in circumference, weighs 410–450 gm |
| Use of Hands | Players can carry and pass the ball using hands | Players cannot touch the ball with hands (except the goalie) |
| Main Way to Score | By carrying the ball past the opponent’s line or through field goals | By kicking the ball into the opponent’s goal |
| Important Player | Quarterback – leads the attack and scores by running/passing the ball | Goalie – defends the goal and stops goals |
| Game Duration | 4 quarters of 15 minutes each (with breaks) | 2 halves of 45 minutes (90 minutes total + break) |
| Substitutions | Unlimited | Only 3 allowed |
| Popular Leagues | NFL (National Football League) | Champions League, EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A |
| Governing Body | IFAF (International Federation of American Football), since 1998 | FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), since 1904 |
The bottom line is that Football is a catch-all word for a variety of sports in which goals are scored with the foot or hands. The most popular sport in the world, football, also known as association football, is referred to as soccer in America, Canada, and Australia.
While American Football or Gridiron is the most popular sport in America, which is nothing like Soccer.
Top 10 Highest Goal Scorers In Football (Soccer)
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