If you think Becks is what’s in your pint and header is the foam on top, you’re probably more attuned to pub protocols than the soccer on the bar’s TVs.
For the casual or novice soccer fan, the World Cup — a month full of talk of free kicks and defensive mids and stoppage time — can be a touch overwhelming. But fear not, The Post answers your best questions in its handy guide to watching footie:
A corner kick is in the corner and a goal kick is in the . . . goal? Wait, that doesn’t sound right.
When the defensive team kicks the ball out over the end line, often under pressure, a corner kick is awarded from the corner on the side of the net where the ball went out of bounds. Corner kicks are great chances to score, particularly for taller players who can leap for headers. When the ball goes out off the offense, it’s a goal kick for the team on defense, whose goalie gets to run up and boot it clear.
What do those lines around the goal mean?
The bigger outline is “the box,’ or the 18-yard box. A goalkeeper can handle the ball inside this area, and if a defender commits a hard foul inside the box, a penalty kick will be awarded. Opposing players cannot enter the box on a goal kick, which is taken from inside the goal area, the smaller, 6-yard box.
A 4-4-2 formation? Huh?
The most basic alignment has four defenders (two center backs, right back, left back), four midfielders (two more possession-minded, defensive types in the center, two more attacking players on the wings) and two forwards along with the goalie. Depending on teams’ strengths and styles, this can vary; some employ only one true forward, some have two distinct depths in their midfield.
How does substitution work?
Three subs per game; players can’t re-enter. They are generally used for two purposes: when a starter is injured, really tired or just generally stinking it up; and, when a team is behind and inserts another forward to try to catch up, or sends on another defender to protect a lead.
What’s with the guy on the sideline with the flag?
An assistant referee holding a flag enforces the offsides rule. A player is offsides if he is behind the last defender (i.e. there is no one between him and the goalie) when a pass is struck. “The flag is up’ means the ref called offsides.
Isn’t after a foul a weird time for the ref to be taking notes?
The ref enters a player in the book (he gets “booked²) if the player commits a foul worthy of a card. A red card means ejection and the player cannot be replaced. A yellow card is cautionary ‹ two yellows equal a red. Two yellows over separate games can bring a one-match suspension. Cards are meted out for violent plays or unsportsmanlike conduct such as flopping or delay of game.
Why are four players on that team standing next to each other, yelling, pointing and shielding their beer nuts?
They are forming a wall to block an expert ball-striker from having a clear trajectory to shoot on goal on a free kick, which comes after a foul. These plays, along with corner kicks, are known as set pieces and account for a decent percentage of goals.
A minute ago that guy looked like he might need an amputation, now he’s not even limping. What gives?
Exaggerating pain is a time-honored soccer tradition, though some teams have more of a reputation for it than others. The theatrical display can sway a ref to show a card, it can buy a tired team a breather and it can waste time for a team that’s winning.
The 45-minute half is over. Why are they still playing?
Because the clock in soccer runs continuously, time given over to players writhing on the turf in mock agony, lengthy philosophical chats with the refs and prolonged goal celebrations is added on in approximate fashion at the end of the half as stoppage time, also known as injury time. One extra minute is normal for the first half. After the second, expect anywhere from one to five.