[For Seniors] Let’s Have Fun with Nostalgic Soccer Trivia Quizzes & Fun Facts

the year 1954

Japan first participated in the FIFA Men's World Cup at the 1954 tournament in Switzerland. In that tournament, Japan faced some of the world's top teams and gained experience on the international stage of soccer. This appearance marked a significant step in the history of Japanese soccer.

hand

Soccer is a sport in which players handle the ball with their feet and other parts of the body without using their hands. In other words, touching the ball with the hands is prohibited. However, only the goalkeeper is allowed to use their hands to touch the ball within their own penalty area. If any other player uses their hands, it is considered a foul.

brown

Today, when people think of a soccer ball, many imagine the black-and-white panel pattern. However, this design only became common after the 1970 World Cup. In fact, before that—particularly up to the early 20th century—soccer balls were brown.

red

In soccer, when a player commits a serious foul, the referee orders an immediate sending-off. The card shown at that time is a red card. A player who is shown a red card is expelled from the match, and the team must continue playing with one fewer player.

inside the penalty area

The soccer goalkeeper is the only player who can use their hands to stop the ball. However, they can’t use their hands just anywhere. The keeper is allowed to touch the ball with their hands only inside the penalty area. Outside this area, they can use only their feet and so on, just like other players, which is why this line is very important for goalkeepers.

Number 10

Speaking of the jersey number worn by a soccer team’s star, it’s got to be number 10. The number 10 is often worn by the player who leads the attack or drives the team forward, and famous players like Maradona and Messi also wore it. That’s why number 10 is seen as a “special number” and is a coveted jersey for many soccer fans.

Green Card

In soccer matches, the well-known cards are the yellow card and the red card, but there actually is a green card as well. However, the green card is not commonly used in FIFA-sanctioned matches; it’s a special card introduced in certain tournaments or regions. For example, it has been used in Italy’s lower leagues and in some matches promoting fair play, where it is shown to recognize fair play behavior.