What’s the difference between football and soccer and how are they different between the U.S. and Europe?
What Americans call “soccer” is called football in the rest of the world. The called “football” in America is a totally different game. For purposes of this discussion, we will use the American terms.
Soccer is played with a round ball. The players are allowed to kick the ball or hit it with other body parts (primarily the head), but are not allowed to touch it with their hands. The object is to get the ball into the net at the end of the field. Each time your team does that it gets a point.
Football is played with an oval ball. The ball is either carried or thrown. The object is to get it to the end of the field. Someone can carry it there, or someone can throw it to someone already waiting there to catch it. When that happens it is called a touchdown and gets the team six points.
The team that is in control of the ball gets four tries (called “downs”) to move the ball 10 yards closer to the end zone. If they don’t do it, they lose control. If they are down to the last down, and don’t think they can make it, they kick the ball. That is called “punting.” If it goes through the posts on the end zone, that is a field goal and is worth three points.
The team also gets to kick the ball toward the goal posts after a touchdown. If they get it through, they get another point.
Don’t listen to popa.