Football: Understanding Soccer Free Kicks

The game of football/soccer is considered to be one of the easiest sports to learn. The object of the game is very simple. All you have to do is to kick the ball towards your opponent's goal. However, you cannot do anything you want just to push the ball forward and score a goal or defend your goal and prevent the other team from scoring. There are things you should not do. Otherwise, you will be called for a violation. Here are the violations that are penalized with a direct free kick and indirect free kick:Direct Free KickDirect Free Kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following offenses:- Holds, trips or pushes the opponent- Jumps at an opponent- Kicks or attempts to kick the opponent- Charges an opponent from behind unless the opponent is obstructing- Charges an opponent in a dangerous or violent way- Spits at an opponent- Strikes or attempts to strike at an opponent- Or, carries, propels or strikes the ball using his hand or armIn a direct free kick, the player can strike the ball directly towards the goal of the opponent to score.If the offending player commits any violation mentioned above within the penalty area, the team is penalized with a penalty kick. Indirect Free KickIndirect Free Kick is awarded to the opposing team if the goalkeeper in his own area commits any of the following violations:- Touches the ball with his hands after his teammate kicked the ball deliberately towards him- Takes more than 4 steps in any directions while bouncing the ball up and down or throwing and catching the without releasing it into play- Engaging in tactics where the referee feels that it holds up the game and gives the opponent an unfair disadvantageIndirect Free Kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits one of the following violations:- Plays in a manner, by which the referee feels as dangerous, intentionally obstructing the opponent when the latter is not playing the ball, charging the goal keeper except when he is outside the goal-area, obstructing an opponent or when he is holding the ball or charging the ball.In an indirect free kick, a goal cannot be scored unless the ball has been played or has been touched by other players other than the kicker.
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