4 The standard pitch is 105 metres long and 65 metres wide. Variants of the game are 5-a-side, 7-a-side and 9-a-side football. Two yellow cards equal a red one. PLAYING BY THE RULES Basic rules The aim of football is to score more goals than the opponent team; to score a goal, the whole ball must cross the goal line. Football games are played on a pitch covered with natural or artificial grass which has a goal post at each end . Football is played by two teams of eleven players . Players have different roles: there is one goalkeeper, and, according to the game strategy adopted by the coach, there are defenders, midfielders, and forwards, or strikers, in different numbers, from two to four. Defenders playing on the right or left side of the field are called right or left fullbacks; a striker playing on either side of the pitch is called a right or left wing. A football match starts with a kickoff and lasts 90 minutes, divided in two halves of 45 minutes each, with a 15-minute rest period between them; sometimes, two extra halves of 15 minutes each can be added if necessary. Each team can substitute no more than five players. If all of the five substitutions have been made and a player has to leave the field for injury, the team will have to play with ten players. 5-a-side football: calcio a 5 to award: assegnare direct free kick: calcio di punizione fullback: terzino goal post: porta kick-off: calcio di inizio linesman: guardalinee midfielder: centrocampista pitch: campo da calcio shin pad: parastinchi sole: suola stocking: calzettone stud: tacchetto suit: uniforme throw-in: rimessa laterale wing: ala 16 TO PLAY Each game must have one referee and two assistants, called linesmen. The referee controls the duration of the match and makes any decisions about fouls, direct free kicks, throw-ins, corners, and penalty kicks. The referee may also decide to give additional time over the 90 minutes in case of frequent interruptions of the game. When a player commits a foul, he receives either a yellow or a red card, depending on the severity of the foul. The yellow card is a warning; with a red card, however, the player is sent off the pitch and cannot be replaced . Players equipment The standard football players equipment, known as a kit, or suit, consists of a long or short-sleeved shirt (or jersey) and shorts in the club s colours, socks (or stockings), and shin pads. Goalkeepers are allowed to wear tracksuit pants and must wear specialist gloves. The shirts have a number printed on the back to identify players; professional teams also print the player s surname above this number. Moreover, the team s captain usually wears a band around the left sleeve to be recognised by the referee. Football players use football boots which have studs attached to the soles; the most modern ones have rubber blades instead of studs.