Did you know there’s a sport that closely resembles soccer? You’re probably familiar with the name Futsal, as the sport is getting popular globally nowadays. Futsal is a fast-paced version of football played on small, hard courts, mostly indoors. It is also known as small-sided football, with only 5 players in a team. But what else do you know about Futsal? Not much? Check out 10 Futsal facts we have listed here, and we bet you didn’t know them before.
10 Futsal Facts That Will Surprise You
Well, you probably didn’t know that Futsal has a nickname – ‘heavy ball’. Let’s start with this one and understand why it is called so.
1. Futsal is called ‘heavy ball’ but the ball is not heavier than a Football
The nickname ‘heavy ball’ confuses many, and they believe that a futsal ball is heavier than a football. However, the perception is not true. The balls used in both sports are anywhere between 400g and 450g in weight. The one used in Futsal is smaller in size, and the compressed pressure inside makes it feel heavier.
2. Futsal players have more specific roles relevant to their positions on the pitch
In Futsal, only five players can take the pitch at a time, and this makes the roles associated with various Futsal positions very specific. Here’s what each player is supposed to do.
- Fixo is a defender who not only blocks the opposition’s attacks but also passes the ball skillfully to his wingers or the pivot.
- Wings (one on either side) can take the ball from the Fixo and help launch the attack. Their characteristics may vary, and they usually aim to offer balance and play according to the situation of the game.
- Pivot is the attacker, the offensive anchor, who possesses excellent ball skills and can score goals from any distance.
- Goalkeeper guards the post, and his primary job is to ensure the ball doesn’t get past him. However, he can leave the post and press forward on the field as needed by the team. He can also launch counterattacks, becoming the line goalkeeper in adverse situations.
The line goalkeeper gives his team the number advantage, as all five players press forward and play the possession game until they find an excellent opportunity to score. The disadvantage here is that the goal is exposed and left unguarded, and the opposition may score easily if they manage to get the ball.
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3. Teams are allowed to make five fouls in each period
Surprised? Yes, foul play is allowed for Futsal teams if they don’t commit more than five fouls during each period. A direct free kick is only awarded as a penalty if a team commits the sixth foul in the same period of play.
The direct free kick is taken from 10 meters away from the goal post. When direct free kicks are taken, the goalkeeper is allowed to come forward to the edge of his zone to make it hard to score on a free kick.
4. Only two referees supervise a Futsal match, but they have outside assistance
In every Futsal game, there are two referees on the court to supervise the game. One of them is more experienced than the other and takes the role of the main referee while the other plays his assistant.
Both referees position themselves at the opposite ends as they check for the ball going out of play. They also call the fouls and ensure fair play during the game.
Besides the two referees on the court, another assistant is present off the pitch. He sits at the coaching table with a chronometer clock or an electronic scoreboard and is responsible for recording the time of the game. There’s also a recording official who notes the scores and all the happenings in the game, including fouls, goals, cards, etc.
5. Futsal does not have an offside rule
Yes, you might be surprised to read this, but Futsal doesn’t have the offside rule. While the rule existed until the early 1990s, it was discontinued primarily because of the smaller dimensions of the Futsal courts. As there is no offside, counterattacks are very common in modern-day Futsal. The attacking players try to get themselves in the best possible position from where they can score, and the defenders pass the ball to them directly without worrying about the offside.
6. Futsal teams can enjoy unlimited substitutions
Futsal is a five-a-side sport, but contrary to football, Futsal teams can have unlimited substitutions during the game. Players are allowed to enter and leave the court anytime, and all the players named for the match can play in a single game. However, at any point, only five players can be in the playing area.
Futsal teams can take a strategic advantage by substituting players for a particular attacking or defensive move. They can even have free-kick or corner specialists who can be substituted to take the shots when their team is awarded a corner kick or a free-kick.
7. There are no throw-ins in Futsal
Players can’t touch the ball with their hands for throw-ins. Instead, sidekicks or corner kicks are taken in Futsal when the ball goes out of play. Only the goalkeeper is allowed to touch the ball with their hands while defending inside his area.
8. Futsal players also get warnings for foul play as in Football
Referees use yellow and red cards in Futsal as well. Similar to football, players are given a warning using a yellow card if they play a minor foul. However, if they repeat the offense and a second yellow card is shown to them, it turns into a red, and they have to leave the court. Serious offenses may also lead to a direct red card.
As there are fewer players in Futsal compared to field soccer, there is a slight variation of rules here. While the player sent out for committing a foul can’t take the field again, he can be replaced with someone else after 2 minutes or once his team concedes a goal.
9. Futsal players run around 6 kilometers per game on average
If you’re familiar with Futsal, you’d know the Futsal courts are smaller in size compared to a Football pitch. Ideally, a futsal court is 40m x 20m (length x width) in size, and this standard is followed in most official tournaments. When compared to the football field, the playing area on a futsal court is nine times smaller.
With this size, an outfielder in a Futsal game runs almost 6 kilometers on average during each game. The average run for a football player in a match is almost 10 kilometers. Futsal requires players to put in pretty much the same amount of effort on the pitch, however. This is because of the more intense nature of the movements and the demanding anaerobic responses an athlete has to produce when playing futsal.
10. Futsal has become a global sport played in over 100 countries
The fast-growing popularity of Futsal has made it a global sport. Today, the game is played in more than a hundred countries. You might be surprised to know that it even fulfills the requirements to become a part of the Olympics as well.
While it has never been included in the Olympic games yet, Futsal was part of the 2018 Youth Olympics. So, we can expect it might make it to the Olympics sometime soon as well.
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Conclusion
Did you know these futsal facts? If you didn’t, you surely have become more familiar with the sport that is already becoming popular worldwide. And this should certainly increase your interest in the sport. Start following the world Futsal events and enjoy this wonderful, fast-paced game that will surely give you a rush of adrenaline.
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