145-634: Melbourne Knights Football Club is an Australian professional soccer club based in the suburb of Sunshine North , Melbourne . The club currently competes in the National Premier Leagues Victoria , the second-tier of the Australian soccer league system under the A-League. It is one of the most successful soccer clubs in Australia, being a two-time championship and four-time premiership winner in
290-676: A centre forward . Viduka captained the Australia national team at the 2006 FIFA World Cup , reaching the Round of 16, which remains their joint-best performance to date. His four goals in the UEFA Champions League are the most scored by any Australian player. In 1993, Viduka started his professional career in Australia for Melbourne Knights (which up until the 1993 season was known as Melbourne Croatia) and became an Australian international in June of
435-601: A stele of c. 375–400 BCE in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens appears on the UEFA European Championship trophy. Athenaeus , writing in 228 CE, mentions the Roman ball game harpastum . Phaininda, episkyros and harpastum were played involving hands and violence. They all appear to have resembled rugby football , wrestling , and volleyball more than what
580-458: A two-leg qualifier against Uruguay . In the second leg, during the first half a swift flick kick from Viduka found Harry Kewell inside the box. Kewell scuffed his shot but the ball bounced kindly to Mark Bresciano who went on to score the goal that forced the Qualifier to go to a penalty shoot out. Viduka would go on to miss his penalty, however Australia went on to win the shootout anyway. It
725-423: A 1–1 draw. After trailing 1-0 Australia earned a penalty in the second half. Viduka took the spot kick, only to hit the top bar. However Tim Cahill scored of the rebound. Viduka also led Australia's national team to their first World Cup finals victory with a 3–1 win over Japan in June 2006, as well as guiding them through an encounter with Brazil , losing 2–0, and a controversial bout with Croatia , ending with
870-604: A 2–1 win away at Olympic Park in Round 16. After the 1972 expulsion the club would not take on JUST for over a decade. The club's last victory against JUST in the Victorian State League came in round 17 of 1972, with a 2–0 win at Olympic Park in front of 4,500 fans. Billy Vojtek scored a double. The rivalry was resumed in 1984 with the Melbourne Knights entering the NSL. In round 25 of 1984 Melbourne Knights defeated JUST 3–1,
1015-638: A 2–2 draw. He then led Australia into the second round, where they lost their round of 16 match to Italy . Although a regular scorer in the Premier League, Viduka has struggled to score any significant goals for the Socceroos , and the 2006 World Cup was no different. Viduka considered retiring from international competition after the 2006 World Cup, citing increasing family commitments as the primary reason. In September 2006, however, he confirmed that he would continue playing for Australia and intended to compete in
1160-549: A 4–2 victory against Motherwell . After making his first team debut against Dundee United on 27 February 1999, his first goals for the club came when he scored a brace against Greenock Morton in the Scottish Cup on 8 March 1999. He was voted Scottish Player of the Year for 1999–2000 after scoring 27 goals in his first full season at Celtic Park . He was regarded as a skilled player, with Josip Šimunić noting his ability to hold
1305-454: A 5-0 crushing of Jamaica at Craven Cottage in a friendly game. In the 47th minute of the game Archie Thompson crossed to Viduka, who controlled the ball, thought about appealing for handball but then had time to crash the ball into the net. Viduka thrived under Guus Hiddink 's tenure as coach of the national squad and led Australia as it qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany over
1450-627: A 5–2 thrashing of the White Eagles. This rivalry resumed in the 2011 VPL season, with a 1–1 draw away and a 5–0 win at home for the Knights. ^Melbourne Knights stripped of the title for fielding an un-registered player SM: Joe Palatsides 88 min MS: Andy Harper 78 min Regular season matches Finals (Playoffs) Matches Overall Melbourne Knights is ranked 5th out of 46 clubs that have competed in
1595-488: A French XI team in 1920, and also made up most of the England team against a Scottish Ladies XI in the same year, winning 22–0. Despite being more popular than some men's football events, with one match seeing a 53,000 strong crowd in 1920, women's football in England suffered a blow in 1921 when The Football Association outlawed the playing of the game on association members' pitches, stating that "the game of football
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#17328444751061740-442: A caution ( yellow card ) or dismissal ( red card ). A second yellow card in the same game leads to a red card, which results in a dismissal. A player given a yellow card is said to have been "booked", the referee writing the player's name in their official notebook. If a player has been dismissed, no substitute can be brought on in their place and the player may not participate in further play. Misconduct may occur at any time, and while
1885-541: A child, but the move ultimately did not happen, and held talks with Alex Ferguson at Manchester United , but decided against moving across the Pennines to join Leeds' rivals . In the 2002–03 campaign , Viduka scored another 22 goals, including a hat-trick in a 6–1 win at Charlton Athletic and the winner in a 3–2 victory at Arsenal on the penultimate day of the season that effectively saved United from relegation. However,
2030-564: A competitive game, and involved the kicking of a mari , a ball made of animal skin. In North America, pasuckuakohowog was a ball game played by the Algonquians ; it was described as "almost identical to the kind of folk football being played in Europe at the same time, in which the ball was kicked through goals". Phaininda and episkyros were Greek ball games. An image of an episkyros player depicted in low relief on
2175-497: A deadlock; some competitions may invoke replays . A game tied at the end of regulation time may go into extra time, which consists of two further 15-minute periods. If the score is still tied after extra time, some competitions allow the use of penalty shoot-outs (known officially in the Laws of the Game as "kicks from the penalty mark") to determine which team will progress to the next stage of
2320-464: A dominant display defeated JUST 2–0, with goals coming from Joe Caleta and Zeljko Adzić. The result saw JUST drop down into the bottom two, relegating the club to the Victorian State League. It was the very last time the two sides ever met on the field and soon after JUST would fold. Head-to-head All-Time Since the relegation of Footscray JUST from the NSL, the fiercest rivalry for the Melbourne Knights has been against South Melbourne. It has also been
2465-544: A double. The Melbourne Knights won 3–1. The rivalry was taken to new levels in the 2000–01 season when the two sides met once more, this time in the Finals. The first leg was played at the Melbourne Croatia Sports Centre. In front of just 7,000 fans, the two sides played out a 0–0. It was a match where Perth player Bobby Despotovski made a 3 fingered Serbian salute to Knights fans. After the match, he and others in
2610-400: A goal has been scored or not; this was brought in to prevent controversy. Video assistant referees (VAR) have also been increasingly introduced in high-level matches to assist officials through video replays to correct clear and obvious mistakes. There are four types of calls that can be reviewed: mistaken identity in awarding a red or yellow card, goals and whether there was a violation during
2755-793: A half seasons with the club, helping it to win three doubles in Croatia between 1996 and 1998. He was also part of the Croatia Zagreb team that reached the third round of the UEFA Cup in 1997 and went on to make his UEFA Champions League group stage debut with the club a year later. He won the Best Foreigner Footballer Award in the Croatian League in his time at Zagreb. Celtic bought Viduka in December 1998 for £ 3.5 million. In
2900-628: A latex bladder for pressurisation, but modern balls at all levels of the game are now synthetic. As the Laws were formulated in England, and were initially administered solely by the four British football associations within IFAB , the standard dimensions of a football pitch were originally expressed in imperial units . The Laws now express dimensions with approximate metric equivalents (followed by traditional units in brackets), though use of imperial units remains popular in English-speaking countries with
3045-519: A meeting attended by representatives from Eton , Harrow , Rugby , Winchester and Shrewsbury schools. They were not universally adopted. During the 1850s, many clubs unconnected to schools or universities were formed throughout the English-speaking world to play various forms of football. Some came up with their own distinct codes of rules, most notably the Sheffield Football Club , formed by former public school pupils in 1857, which led to
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#17328444751063190-620: A new contract. Given his impressive haul for the season, Viduka attracted interest from a number of clubs who were hoping to sign him on a free transfer as he became out-of-contract. Viduka joined north-east rivals Newcastle United on a free transfer on 7 June 2007. Viduka remains Middlesbrough's top goalscorer at the Riverside , and regularly features in Middlesbrough fan polls for top XI Riverside era players. In signing for Newcastle, Viduka became manager Sam Allardyce 's first signing at
3335-409: A number of venues it used as its home ground. The most significant ones were: Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. The Melbourne Knights is a club famous for its youth and junior development, it has one of the best set ups in Australia. Many great players have gone through the youth set up at the Knights,
3480-674: A number of years of lobbying, the Knights finally joined Australia's elite soccer competition, the National Soccer League. By the 1990s the club had become the premier soccer club in Australia as it made the NSL Grand Final 5 out of 6 seasons, winning it twice in 1994–95 and 1995–96. Following the disbanding of the NSL in 2004, the Knights dropped to the Victorian Premier League, making the Grand Final in 2008.The Knights won
3625-426: A penalty kick. Other markings define the position of the ball or players at kick-offs , goal kicks, penalty kicks and corner kicks. A standard adult football match consists of two halves of 45 minutes each. Each half runs continuously, meaning that the clock is not stopped when the ball is out of play. There is usually a 15-minute half-time break between halves. The end of the match is known as full-time. The referee
3770-416: A relatively recent history of metrication (or only partial metrication), such as Britain. The length of the pitch, or field, for international adult matches is in the range of 100–110 m (110–120 yd) and the width is in the range of 64–75 m (70–80 yd). Fields for non-international matches may be 90–120 m (100–130 yd) in length and 45–90 m (50–100 yd) in width, provided
3915-567: A similar ancient game ( cuju , or tsu chu ) was played by women during the Han dynasty (25–220 CE), as female figures are depicted in frescoes of the period playing tsu chu . There are also reports of annual football matches played by women in Midlothian , Scotland, during the 1790s. Association football, the modern game, has documented early involvement of women. In 1863, football governing bodies introduced standardised rules to prohibit violence on
4060-523: A total match time of 90 minutes. With an estimated 250 million players active in over 200 countries and territories, it is the world's most popular sport. The game of association football is played in accordance with the Laws of the Game , a set of rules that has been in effect since 1863 and maintained by the IFAB since 1886. The game is played with a football that is 68–70 cm (27–28 in) in circumference . The two teams compete to score goals by getting
4205-507: A truce to the nation's civil war in 2006 and it helped further reduce tensions between government and rebel forces in 2007 by playing a match in the rebel capital of Bouaké , an occasion that brought both armies together peacefully for the first time. By contrast, football is widely considered to have been the final proximate cause for the Football War in June 1969 between El Salvador and Honduras . The sport also exacerbated tensions at
4350-461: A two leg World Cup Qualifier. Australia lost on aggregate 3–1. This meant Viduka and Australia spent another World Cup on the sidelines. In 2003, Viduka scored his third international goal in a friendly against Ireland. Australia would go on to lose the match 2–1. Viduka began captaining Australia in September 2005 in place of the injured Craig Moore , the regular captain. His first game as captain
4495-432: A variety of positions in which the outfield (non-goalkeeper) players are strategically placed by a coach, these positions are not defined or required by the Laws. The basic equipment or kit players are required to wear includes a shirt, shorts, socks, footwear and adequate shin guards . An athletic supporter and protective cup is highly recommended for male players by medical experts and professionals. Headgear
Melbourne Knights FC - Misplaced Pages Continue
4640-415: Is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players each, who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a ball around a rectangular field called a pitch . The objective of the game is to score more goals than the opposing team by moving the ball beyond the goal line into a rectangular-framed goal defended by the opposing team. Traditionally, the game has been played over two 45-minute halves, for
4785-463: Is governed by FIFA . Under FIFA, there are six continental confederations: AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA . Of these confederations, CONMEBOL is the oldest one, being founded in 1916. National associations (e.g. The FA in England) are responsible for managing the game in their own countries both professionally and at an amateur level, and coordinating competitions in accordance with
4930-410: Is marked by the goal line, two lines starting on the goal line 16.5 m (18 yd) from the goalposts and extending 16.5 m (18 yd) into the pitch perpendicular to the goal line, and a line joining them. This area has a number of functions, the most prominent being to mark where the goalkeeper may handle the ball and where a penalty foul by a member of the defending team becomes punishable by
5075-438: Is not a required piece of basic equipment, but players today may choose to wear it to protect themselves from head injury. Players are forbidden to wear or use anything that is dangerous to themselves or another player, such as jewellery or watches. The goalkeeper must wear clothing that is easily distinguishable from that worn by the other players and the match officials. A number of players may be replaced by substitutes during
5220-405: Is positioned on each goal line, midway between the two touchlines. The inner edges of the vertical goal posts must be 7.32 m (24 ft) apart, and the lower edge of the horizontal crossbar supported by the goal posts must be 2.44 m (8 ft) above the ground. Nets are usually placed behind the goal, but are not required by the Laws. In front of the goal is the penalty area. This area
5365-800: Is quite unsuitable for females and should not be encouraged." Players and football writers have argued that this ban was, in fact, due to envy of the large crowds that women's matches attracted, and because the FA had no control over the money made from the women's game. The FA ban led to the formation of the short-lived English Ladies Football Association and play moved to rugby grounds. Women's football also faced bans in several other countries , notably in Brazil from 1941 to 1979, in France from 1941 to 1970, and in Germany from 1955 to 1970. Restrictions began to be reduced in
5510-506: Is recognisable as modern football. As with pre-codified mob football , the antecedent of all modern football codes , these three games involved more handling the ball than kicking it. Association football in itself does not have a classical history. Notwithstanding any similarities to other ball games played around the world, FIFA has described that no historical connection exists with any game played in antiquity outside Europe. The history of football in England dates back to at least
5655-579: Is the dominant region in women's football, with the United States winning the most FIFA Women's World Cups and Olympic tournaments. Europe and Asia come second and third in terms of international success, and the women's game has been improving in South America. Association football is played in accordance with a set of rules known as the Laws of the Game . The game is played using a spherical ball of 68–70 cm (27–28 in) circumference, known as
5800-451: Is the official timekeeper for the match, and may make an allowance for time lost through substitutions, injured players requiring attention, or other stoppages. This added time is called "additional time" in FIFA documents, but is most commonly referred to as stoppage time or injury time , while lost time can also be used as a synonym. The duration of stoppage time is at the sole discretion of
5945-435: Is thought to have been borrowed from the slang of Rugby School . Initially spelt assoccer (a shortening of "association"), it was later reduced to the modern spelling. This form of slang also gave rise to rugger for rugby football, fiver and tenner for five pound and ten pound notes , and the now-archaic footer that was also a name for association football. The word soccer arrived at its current form in 1895 and
Melbourne Knights FC - Misplaced Pages Continue
6090-404: Is to score goals; defenders , who specialise in preventing their opponents from scoring; and midfielders , who dispossess the opposition and keep possession of the ball to pass it to the forwards on their team. Players in these positions are referred to as outfield players, to distinguish them from the goalkeeper. These positions are further subdivided according to the area of the field in which
6235-421: The football (or soccer ball ). Two teams of eleven players each compete to get the ball into the other team's goal (between the posts and under the bar), thereby scoring a goal. The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game is the winner; if both teams have scored an equal number of goals then the game is a draw. Each team is led by a captain who has only one official responsibility as mandated by
6380-515: The Caribbean and Oceania regions (except Australia ) have yet to make a mark in international football. When it comes to men's national teams, Europeans and South Americans continue to dominate the FIFA World Cup, as no team from any other region has managed to even reach the final. These regional trends do not hold true for the women's game, as the United States women's national team has won
6525-506: The Dockerty Cup in 2014 , the club's first piece of major silverware in 18 years. The Melbourne Knights have a large following among Australia's Croatian community, particularly from Melbourne's western suburbs. This supporter base is made up of both Croatian and Australian-born Croats. The unofficial supporter group of the Melbourne Knights is the MCF (Melbourne Croatia Fans). In the NSL years
6670-577: The Melbourne Cricket Ground and concluded with a 2–2 draw. Viduka assisted Paul Agostino with the first goal of the game. He also appeared in friendly matches against Hungary and Czech Republic in 2000. Defeating Hungary 3-0 and losing to Czech Republic 3–1. That same here Viduka once again joined the Olyroos in the 2000 Olympic Games in his home country of Australia. In 2001, he played alongside Australia as they competed against Uruguay in
6815-676: The 12th aniversarry of the Ustaše regime's founding. The Knights became a member of the Victorian Soccer Federation in 1954, which saw the club join and compete in a league competition for the first time that same year in the newly created Victorian Provisional League. The club moved up the state divisions and by the mid-1960s had become one of the strongest clubs in Victoria, winning the State League title in 1968, 1978 and 1979. In 1984, after
6960-620: The 1960s and 1970s. The Italian women's football league was established in 1968. In December 1969, the Women's Football Association was formed in England, with the sport eventually becoming the most prominent team sport for women in the United Kingdom. Two unofficial women's World Cups were organised by the FIEFF in 1970 and in 1971 . Also in 1971, UEFA members voted to officially recognise women's football, while The Football Association rescinded
7105-450: The 1960s, and Croatian footballer and Ballon d'Or winner Luka Modrić is his cousin. Viduka currently lives in Zagreb , where he owns a coffee shop and enjoys making coffee. Viduka had a song written about him by English singer/songwriter and Middlesbrough fan Alistair Griffin (who also previously co-wrote the football song recorded by Terry Venables ). The song lyrics were written to
7250-532: The 2007 Asian Cup . In a friendly against Singapore , a week before the start of the Asian Cup , Viduka scored two headed goals in a 3–0 victory for Australia; former Leeds teammate Harry Kewell scored the third. It was the second time he scored two goals in an international match, having previously done so against the Solomon Islands in 2005. On Australia's first ever Asian Cup participation, Viduka captained
7395-476: The 63rd minute with a clever back flick past the goalkeeper. In Australia's final group game Viduka made a contribution early in the game with an assist to Aurelio Vidmar in the 3rd minute. Despite Australia's early 0–2 lead, Spain made a spirited comeback and won 3–2. Due to the losses to France and Spain the Olyroos did not progress further in the tournament. Viduka featured in the two World Cup qualifiers against Iran in 1997. Australia failed to qualify. Viduka
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#17328444751067540-570: The FIFA Women's World Cup four times, more than any other women's team. Football is played at a professional level all over the world. Millions of people regularly go to football stadiums to follow their favourite teams, while billions more watch the game on television or on the internet. A very large number of people also play football at an amateur level. According to a survey conducted by FIFA published in 2001, over 240 million people from more than 200 countries regularly play football. Football has
7685-861: The Football Association, the Scottish Football Association , the Football Association of Wales , and the Irish Football Association . FIFA , the international football body, was formed in Paris in 1904 and declared that they would adhere to the Laws of the Game of the Football Association. The growing popularity of the international game led to the admittance of FIFA representatives to the IFAB in 1913. The board consists of four representatives from FIFA and one representative from each of
7830-464: The Game while the ball is in play. The offences that constitute a foul are listed in Law 12. Handling the ball deliberately, tripping an opponent, or pushing an opponent, are examples of "penal fouls", punishable by a direct free kick or penalty kick depending on where the offence occurred. Other fouls are punishable by an indirect free kick . The referee may punish a player's or substitute's misconduct by
7975-470: The IFAB Laws. Each team consists of a maximum of eleven players (excluding substitutes ), one of whom must be the goalkeeper . Competition rules may state a minimum number of players required to constitute a team, which is usually seven. Goalkeepers are the only players allowed to play the ball with their hands or arms, provided they do so within the penalty area in front of their own goal. Though there are
8120-476: The Knights supporter had escaped persecution from. These were as much political battles as they were soccer matches. This rivalry began in 1960 when the clubs first met (Melbourne Knights as Preston Croat) in the Victorian State League. The club's first win against JUST came in 1965 with a 2–1 victory in the Dockerty Cup semi-final. Their first victory against JUST in the Victorian State League also came in 1965 with
8265-430: The Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed" (Law 5), and whose decisions are final. The referee is assisted by two assistant referees . In many high-level games there is also a fourth official who assists the referee and may replace another official should the need arise. Goal line technology is used to measure if the whole ball has crossed the goal-line thereby determining whether
8410-650: The Laws of the Game. The most prestigious senior international competitions are the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women's World Cup . The men's World Cup is the most-viewed sporting event in the world, surpassing the Olympic Games . The two most prestigious competitions in club football are the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Women's Champions League , which attract an extensive television audience worldwide. The final of
8555-475: The Laws of the Game: to represent their team in the coin toss before kick-off or penalty kicks . The primary law is that players other than goalkeepers may not deliberately handle the ball with their hands or arms during play, though they must use both their hands during a throw-in restart. Although players usually use their feet to move the ball around, they may use any part of their body (notably, "heading" with
8700-501: The Melbourne Knights were never able to achieve in the NSL. The rivalry continued in the modern era with South Melbourne defeating the Knights in an elimination semi-final in front of 5,000 fans. The Knights would get their revenge a year later by knocking South out of the FFA cup with a 2–0 victory at Lakeside Stadium. Head-to-Head total NSL games NSL Finals games only Head-to-Head State League/VPL Head-to-Head All-Time Perth Glory
8845-485: The Perth squad were attacked by Knights fans as the Perth players boarded the team bus. It made headlines across Australia. In the second leg in Perth in front of 30,000 fans, the odds were stacked against the Knights. But the side put in a phenomenal performance being up 2–0 by the 30th minute. Perth came back to level it at 2–2, but the Knights took out the tie on the away goals rule. The two sides have not played each other since
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#17328444751068990-516: The St Albans Saints. In the 2007 VPL season a new rivalry was born with the Serbian backed Springvale White Eagles. The two clubs had never met each other beforehand. In their first meeting the Knights won 1–0 at home, with a last minute free kick from Anthony Pelikan. It was the first time that the Knights had ever played a Serbian side in a league match in its long history. The second match ended in
9135-530: The United States. A notable exception is New Zealand, where in the first two decades of the 21st century, under the influence of international television, "football" has been gaining prevalence, despite the dominance of other codes of football, namely rugby union and rugby league . The term soccer comes from Oxford "-er" slang, which was prevalent at the University of Oxford in England from about 1875, and
9280-407: The Victorian State League was in 1965, a 3–2 win at Olympic Park. In the NSL the two sides would have an intense rivalry, which was heightened by the success both sides had in the league. This was clearly seen in the incredible 10 occasions the two clubs met each other in the NSL finals. The first win against South in the NSL came in round 9 of 1985, 2–0. The club would go on to play many epic matches,
9425-452: The ball into the other team's goal (between the posts, under the bar, and fully across the goal line). When the ball is in play, the players mainly use their feet, but may also use any other part of their body, such as their head, chest and thighs, except for their hands or arms, to control, strike, or pass the ball. Only the goalkeepers may use their hands and arms, and that only within the penalty area . The team that has scored more goals at
9570-588: The ball up well and bring other players into the game. In February 2000, lower league team Inverness Caledonian Thistle defeated Celtic in a shock upset in the third round of the Scottish Cup . During half time Viduka reportedly threw his boots in the bin and refused to play in the second half after an altercation with assistant coach, Eric Black . The match ended 3–1 with Celtic fans in uproar. In March 2000, Viduka assisted Celtic to win Scotland's 1999-2000 Scottish League Cup . He left after his first full season at
9715-456: The ban that prohibited women from playing on association members' pitches in England. Women's football still faces many struggles, but its worldwide growth has seen major competitions being launched at both the national and international levels, mirroring the men's competitions. The FIFA Women's World Cup was inaugurated in 1991: the first tournament was held in China, featuring 12 teams from
9860-410: The beginning of each playing period with a kick-off until the end of the playing period, the ball is in play at all times, except when either the ball leaves the field of play, or play is stopped by the referee. When the ball becomes out of play, play is restarted by one of eight restart methods depending on how it went out of play: A foul occurs when a player commits an offence listed in the Laws of
10005-425: The beginning of the Croatian War of Independence of the 1990s, when a match between Dinamo Zagreb and Red Star Belgrade degenerated into rioting in May 1990. Women's association football has historically seen opposition, with national associations severely curbing its development and several outlawing it completely. Women may have been playing football for as long as the game has existed. Evidence shows that
10150-404: The buildup, direct red card decisions, and penalty decisions. The ball is spherical with a circumference of between 68 and 70 cm (27 and 28 in), a weight in the range of 410 to 450 g (14 to 16 oz), and a pressure between 0.6 and 1.1 standard atmospheres (8.5 and 15.6 pounds per square inch ) at sea level. In the past the ball was made up of leather panels sewn together, with
10295-572: The champions of these two club competitions would contest the Intercontinental Cup to prove which team was the best in the world. In the 21st century, South America has continued to produce some of the best footballers in the world, but its clubs have fallen behind the still dominant European clubs, which often sign the best players from Latin America and elsewhere. Meanwhile, football has improved in Africa , Asia and North America , and nowadays, these regions are at least on equal grounds with South America in club football, although countries in
10440-545: The club has owned and operated since 1989. As well as fielding men's and women's sides, the Knight's field junior teams of all year levels. Melbourne Knights FC was founded in 1953 by a group of Croatian émigrés. Among the founders was Srećko Rover , a military official of the Independent State of Croatia , and subject of investigation into alleged war crimes during World War II. The club played its first match on 10 April 1953,
10585-632: The club is home to over 250 players ranging in sides from the Under 8 to Under 18 level in the Victorian Milo leagues, as well as an Under 20 youth team which serves as the reserves side and plays in the Victorian Premier League Reserves competition. The club has played a particularly important role with the youth of the Croatian community in both Melbourne and Geelong, giving them a pathway in
10730-525: The club's financial crisis continued, and resulted in the sale of key players including Harry Kewell and Robbie Keane. In the 2003–04 season, Viduka was again top scorer at Leeds, finishing the season strongly as was the case in the previous season, as interim manager Eddie Gray attempted to steer the club away from the Premier League trap door following the departure of Peter Reid in November after eight months as manager. However, during his final appearance in
10875-450: The club's junior ranks have always made up a large part the Knights squad, such as in the 1990s when the club dominated the NSL. The Melbourne Knights have had many rivalries over the years. The biggest and most heated rivalry was with Footscray JUST . JUST was a Yugoslav backed club so the hate between the clubs ran deep. JUST had links to the Yugoslav communist regime, a regime that many of
11020-577: The club. Leeds United manager David O'Leary signed Viduka just before the 2000–01 season for £6 million. At Leeds, he was expected to line up in a three-pronged attack alongside the previous season's top scorer Michael Bridges and Australia teammate Harry Kewell , but injuries to those two saw him form a partnership with Alan Smith in Leeds' Champions League matches, while Robbie Keane – signed on loan from Inter Milan as cover for Bridges – also benefited in their Premier League matches together in
11165-445: The club. His contract was for two years, with the option of a third year. He made his Newcastle debut in a Premier League match at Bolton on 11 August and scored his first goal on 26 August against his former club Middlesbrough. On 23 September, he scored a further two goals against West Ham United to bring his tally up to three for Newcastle. On 23 December, he again scored two goals against Derby County . After an injury lay off over
11310-425: The course of the game. The maximum number of substitutions permitted in most competitive international and domestic league games is five in 90 minutes, with each team being allowed one more if the game should go into extra-time; the permitted number may vary in other competitions or in friendly matches . Common reasons for a substitution include injury, tiredness, ineffectiveness, a tactical switch, or timewasting at
11455-453: The eighth century. The modern rules of association football are based on the mid-19th century efforts to standardise the widely varying forms of football played in the public schools of England. The Cambridge rules , first drawn up at the University of Cambridge in 1848, were particularly influential in the development of subsequent codes, including association football. The Cambridge rules were written at Trinity College, Cambridge , at
11600-420: The end of a finely poised game. In standard adult matches, a player who has been substituted may not take further part in a match. IFAB recommends "that a match should not continue if there are fewer than seven players in either team". Any decision regarding points awarded for abandoned games is left to the individual football associations. A game is officiated by a referee , who has "full authority to enforce
11745-456: The end of the 2008–09 season . Viduka, however, later expressed his desire to continue playing past this season after acquiring a groin injury in late December. After returning from injury, he was immediately used by newly appointed coach Alan Shearer in an attempt to prevent the team's relegation. After playing a man of the match performance in the 3–1 victory against his former team Middlesbrough, Mark appeared to have scored his first goal of
11890-474: The end of the NSL in 2004. Other important rivalries have been with fellow Melbourne sides Preston Lions, Green Gully, Heidelberg United and Sunshine George Cross, both at state and national level. Matches against Preston in particular have traditionally attracted large crowds, while the rivalry with Green Gully was at its most fiercest in the early 80s when the 2 sides dominated the State League. The rivalry with Sunshine George Cross has seen George Cross become
12035-405: The end of the game is the winner. There are situations where a goal can be disallowed, such as an offside call or a foul in the build-up to the goal. Depending on the format of the competition, an equal number of goals scored may result in a draw being declared with 1 point awarded to each team, or the game goes into extra time or a penalty shoot-out . Internationally, association football
12180-619: The final to Sevilla on 10 May 2006, a result which Viduka has since said took him four months to get over. In August 2006, he was awarded the number 9 shirt at Middlesbrough, his preferred number at all his previous clubs. Viduka's third season at Middlesbrough was his most prolific, scoring 19 goals in all competitions. With his contract due to expire at the end of the 2006–07 season , Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate expressed his interest in retaining Viduka. Southgate reiterated his wish to retain Viduka's services and revealed he would offer him
12325-443: The first victory against JUST since 1972. 1989 saw what was the greatest victory the Melbourne Knights had against JUST. The two sides that finished at the bottom of the league ladder would be relegated. JUST went into the final round third last only a point ahead of the bottom two, JUST could not afford a loss. The highly anticipated match at Middle Park was played in front of 5,000 mostly Melbourne Knights fans. The Melbourne Knights in
12470-682: The following year. In his two seasons with the Knights, he was top goal scorer in the National Soccer League (NSL) and was twice awarded the Johnny Warren Medal for NSL Best Player of the Year in 1993–94 and 1994–95 . His time at Melbourne Knights included one NSL title in the 1994–95 season. The grandstand at Knights' Stadium , home of the Knights, was renamed the "Mark Viduka Stand" in his honour and paid for with his transfer money. In 1995, Viduka moved to Croatia to play with Croatia Zagreb (now Dinamo Zagreb). He spent three and
12615-420: The forehead) other than their hands or arms. Within normal play, all players are free to play the ball in any direction and move throughout the pitch, though players may not pass to teammates who are in an offside position. During gameplay, players attempt to create goal-scoring opportunities through individual control of the ball, such as by dribbling , passing the ball to a teammate, and by taking shots at
12760-514: The formation of a Sheffield FA in 1867. In 1862, John Charles Thring of Uppingham School also devised an influential set of rules. These ongoing efforts contributed to the formation of The Football Association (The FA) in 1863, which first met on the morning of 26 October 1863 at the Freemasons' Tavern in Great Queen Street , London. The only school to be represented on this occasion
12905-517: The four British associations. For most of the 20th century, Europe and South America were the dominant regions in association football. The FIFA World Cup , inaugurated in 1930 , became the main stage for players of both continents to show their worth and the strength of their national teams. In the second half of the century, the European Cup and the Copa Libertadores were created, and
13050-695: The game in a specific position, there are few restrictions on player movement, and players can switch positions at any time. The layout of a team's players is known as a formation . Defining the team's formation and tactics is usually the prerogative of the team's manager . There are 17 laws in the official Laws of the Game, each containing a collection of stipulations and guidelines. The same laws are designed to apply to all levels of football for both sexes, although certain modifications for groups such as juniors, seniors and people with physical disabilities are permitted. The laws are often framed in broad terms, which allow flexibility in their application depending on
13195-425: The goal, which is guarded by the opposing goalkeeper. Opposing players may try to regain control of the ball by intercepting a pass or through tackling the opponent in possession of the ball; however, physical contact between opponents is restricted. Football is generally a free-flowing game, with play stopping only when the ball has left the field of play or when play is stopped by the referee for an infringement of
13340-404: The highest global television audience in sport. In many parts of the world, football evokes great passions and plays an important role in the life of individual fans , local communities, and even nations. Ryszard Kapuściński says that Europeans who are polite, modest, or humble fall easily into rage when playing or watching football games. The Ivory Coast national football team helped secure
13485-740: The impact the club has had at this level was the 1996 Atlanta Olympic side (under 23) which contained a staggering 5 Knights players; Mark Viduka , Danny Tiatto , Joe Spiteri, Frank Jurić and Steve Horvat. You also had Vinko Buljibašić and Joe Bačak who were part of the qualifying campaign, while Adrian Červinski, Damien Vojtek and Ante Jurić were part of pre-qualifying friendlies. The Knights are well known for giving young emerging talent opportunities in their senior squad. Players like; Marak Talajic debut at 16, Eddie Krncevic at 15, Josip Šimunić at 17, Steve Horvat at 17, Mark Viduka at 18, Mark Silić at 18, Billy Vojtek at 18 and more recently with Mate Dugandžić at 16. As such players that have gone through
13630-494: The increased fixture list and to ensure it could compete on the European stage. Viduka was signed from Leeds for £4.5 million and unveiled as one of the marquee signings of the summer. Viduka's debut season at Middlesbrough was initially impressive, albeit frustrated by injuries. However, in his second season, the 2005–06 season , Viduka was in sensational form in all competitions for Middlesbrough, reaching double figures early on in
13775-654: The instigation of Alcock. England is also home to the world's first football league , which was founded in Birmingham in 1888 by Aston Villa director William McGregor . The original format contained 12 clubs from the Midlands and Northern England . Laws of the Game are determined by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). The board was formed in 1886 after a meeting in Manchester of
13920-443: The jersey, Leeds were relegated in a 4–1 loss to Bolton Wanderers at Reebok Stadium . After scoring a penalty, Viduka was sent off following two yellow cards. He was sold to Middlesbrough in the summer of 2004 as United's financial difficulties deepened. Following Middlesbrough's League Cup victory in 2004, the club qualified for the 2004–05 UEFA Cup . The squad was bolstered with a number of high-profile signings to cope with
14065-693: The lack of a crossbar, rules which made it remarkably similar to Victorian rules football being developed at that time in Australia. The Sheffield FA played by its own rules until the 1870s, with the FA absorbing some of its rules until there was little difference between the games. The world's oldest football competition is the FA Cup , which was founded by the footballer and cricketer Charles W. Alcock , and has been contested by English teams since 1872. The first official international football match also took place in 1872, between Scotland and England in Glasgow , again at
14210-443: The last game of the season. Viduka made his return to the first team after six months out injured at former club Middlesbrough, coming on for Martins as a substitute on 29 November 2008. This was a great relief for manager Joe Kinnear , who stated that he had previously feared the Australian's career might have been prematurely ended by his injury woes. Later, Kinnear suggested to reporters that Viduka might call time on his career at
14355-468: The last match of the 1996–97 regular season. Perth was in 6th spot, holding onto the last finals spot. Perth traveling to the Melbourne Croatia Sports Centre only needed a point to ensure a finals berth. While the Knights in 7th spot, 2 points behind Perth needed nothing less than a win to get the final spot. The match was played in front of 10,000 people. Perth took an early lead. But the Knights came back with an inspired performance by Tom Pondeljak , scoring
14500-485: The longest running rivalry for both clubs, with the Knights having played South Melbourne more times than any other club. The first time the two sides met was in 1960 in the Victorian Division 1 North. The first victory the club had over South Melbourne came in 1962 (as Preston Croat) in the group stage of the pre-season Ampol Cup with the Knights winning 1–0. While the first time the Knights defeated South Melbourne in
14645-607: The men's tournament is the most-watched annual sporting event in the world. Association football is one of a family of football codes that emerged from various ball games played worldwide since antiquity. Within the English-speaking world, the sport is now usually called "football" in Great Britain and most of Ulster in the north of Ireland, whereas people usually call it "soccer" in regions and countries where other codes of football are prevalent, such as Australia, Canada, South Africa, most of Ireland (excluding Ulster), and
14790-631: The most notable being Socceroo captain Mark Viduka . A highlight of this strong set-up came in the NSL years where the Melbourne Knights were a dominant force in the National Youth League, being champions 3 times. The club was also runner-up on two other occasions. The Knights have continued this winning tradition at the youth level in the VPL, with the club winning the double as it took out the Under 18 and Under 20 Victorian championships in 2007 Currently
14935-399: The most part these matches have been tightly fought contests, but the biggest win the Knights had against South came in 2000–01 season when Knights defeated South 4–0. This rivalry which has gone on for over 50 years continues today in the Victorian Premier League. In 2005 the Melbourne Knights defeated South Melbourne for the first time ever at South's home ground of Bob Jane Stadium, something
15080-495: The most played team for the Melbourne Knights after South Melbourne, with the first clash between the 2 sides occurring back in 1960. In the NSL the club had significant rivalries with Sydney Olympic, Marconi Fairfield and particularly Adelaide City. The Melbourne Knights and Adelaide City were the two dominant soccer powers in the early to mid 90s, they met each other 3 times in the NSL Grand Final. The club also has friendly rivalries with fellow Croatian backed clubs Sydney United and
15225-647: The national competition (NSL and A-League): In 2003 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Melbourne Knights, the club named its team of the century: Substitutes: Coach: Mijo Kis (1966–1970, 1972, 1982) Other Nominees: The club has had and produced many players who have been Australian internationals (including 4 Socceroo captains), along with several Croatian internationals. These include: Australia Angola Burundi Croatia Curaçao England Ghana Hong Kong Ireland Association football Association football , more commonly known as football or soccer ,
15370-444: The national team, even by other members of the squad. Despite calls from Adrian Alston , Graham Arnold and Viduka's then-agent Steve Kutner for Viduka to be selected for the 2010 FIFA World Cup , Viduka had already decided to retire, aged 34. Viduka and his wife Ivana have three sons together: Joseph (born November 2002), Lucas (born September 2006) and Oliver (born May 2008). His father Joe immigrated to Australia from Croatia in
15515-525: The nature of the game. The Laws of the Game are published by FIFA, but are maintained by the IFAB. In addition to the seventeen laws, numerous IFAB decisions and other directives contribute to the regulation of association football. Within the United States, Major League Soccer used a distinct ruleset during the 1990s and the National Federation of State High School Associations and NCAA still use rulesets that are comparable to, but different from,
15660-511: The new year, Viduka was brought back into the side by new manager Kevin Keegan , where he played as part of a 4–3–3 formation along with Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins . This new formation brought about a change of fortune for Newcastle as the three strikers rescued them from a relegation battle, with Viduka scoring two more goals over the rest of the season and setting up others for Martins and Owen before picking up an Achilles' heel injury before
15805-429: The next stoppage of play. The referee's decision in all on-pitch matters is considered final. The score of a match cannot be altered after the game, even if later evidence shows that decisions (including awards/non-awards of goals) were incorrect. Mark Viduka Mark Antony Viduka ( / v ɪ ˈ d uː k ə / vih- DOOK -ə ; born 9 October 1975) is an Australian former soccer player who played as
15950-580: The now defunct National Soccer League (NSL). The club is based in the western suburbs of Melbourne and draws much of its support from the Croatian Australian community. The club's identification with its Croatian roots remains strong. It is a regular participant in the Australian-Croatian Soccer Tournament . The Melbourne Knights play matches at Knights Stadium , a 15,000 capacity venue (with approximately 4,000 seated) which
16095-426: The offences that constitute misconduct are listed, the definitions are broad. In particular, the offence of "unsporting behaviour" may be used to deal with most events that violate the spirit of the game, even if they are not listed as specific offences. A referee can show a yellow or red card to a player, substitute, substituted player, and to non-players such as managers and support staff. Rather than stopping play,
16240-461: The original thirteen laws of the game. The sticking point was hacking, which a twelfth club at the meeting, Blackheath FC , had wanted to keep, resulting in them withdrawing from the FA. Other English rugby clubs followed this lead and did not join the FA, and instead in 1871, along with Blackheath, formed the Rugby Football Union . The FA rules included handling of the ball by "marks" and
16385-432: The pitch does not become square. In 2008, the IFAB initially approved a fixed size of 105 m (115 yd) long and 68 m (74 yd) wide as a standard pitch dimension for international matches; however, this decision was later put on hold and was never actually implemented. The longer boundary lines are touchlines , while the shorter boundaries (on which the goals are placed) are goal lines . A rectangular goal
16530-437: The pitch, making it more socially acceptable for women to play. The first match recorded by the Scottish Football Association took place in 1892 in Glasgow . In England, the first recorded game of football between women took place in 1895. Women's football has traditionally been associated with charity games and physical exercise, particularly in the United Kingdom. Association football continued to be played by women since
16675-437: The player spends the most time. For example, there are central defenders and left and right midfielders. The ten outfield players may be arranged in any combination. The number of players in each position determines the style of the team's play; more forwards and fewer defenders creates a more aggressive and offensive-minded game, while the reverse creates a slower, more defensive style of play. While players typically spend most of
16820-400: The players and spectators by holding up a board showing this number. The signalled stoppage time may be further extended by the referee. Added time was introduced because of an incident which happened in 1891 during a match between Stoke and Aston Villa . Trailing 1–0 with two minutes remaining, Stoke were awarded a penalty kick. Villa's goalkeeper deliberately kicked the ball out of play; by
16965-495: The quarter-finals in a penalty shootout against Japan. Subsequent to that loss, question marks hang over whether Viduka will continue his international career. Two years on from the 2007 Asian Cup, he was still yet to return for the Socceroos , either stating he had injuries or club commitments. He missed World Cup Qualifiers against Qatar , Bahrain and Japan, even though fully fit and asked to play by then-Socceroos manager Pim Verbeek . Questions were raised over his commitment to
17110-416: The referee may allow play to continue if doing so will benefit the team against which an offence has been committed. This is known as "playing an advantage". The referee may "call back" play and penalise the original offence if the anticipated advantage does not ensue within "a few seconds". Even if an offence is not penalised due to advantage being played, the offender may still be sanctioned for misconduct at
17255-419: The referee. Stoppage time does not fully compensate for the time in which the ball is out of play , and a 90-minute game typically involves about an hour of "effective playing time". The referee alone signals the end of the match. In matches where a fourth official is appointed, towards the end of the half, the referee signals how many minutes of stoppage time they intend to add. The fourth official then informs
17400-440: The respective six confederations. The World Cup has been held every four years since; by 2019 , it had expanded to 24 national teams, and 1.12 billion viewers watched the competition. Four years later , FIFA targeted the 32-team 2023 Women's World Cup at an audience of 2 billion, while about 1.4 million tickets were sold, setting a Women's World Cup record. Women's football has been an Olympic event since 1996 . North America
17545-534: The rules. After a stoppage, play recommences with a specified restart. At a professional level, most matches produce only a few goals. For example, the 2022–23 season of the English Premier League produced an average of 2.85 goals per match. The Laws of the Game do not specify any player positions other than goalkeeper, but a number of specialised roles have evolved. Broadly, these include three main categories: strikers , or forwards, whose main task
17690-407: The same month as his signing, Celtic announced that Viduka had quit the club without kicking a ball for them, citing stress as his reason. A week later, Croatia Zagreb complained that it had not received the agreed fee for the player. These issues were eventually resolved and Viduka made his first appearance in a Celtic shirt on 16 February 1999, scoring for the under-21 team as an over-age player in
17835-489: The season against Fulham . Match referee Howard Webb , however, ruled that Kevin Nolan impeded goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer disallowing the goal. He was released following Newcastle's relegation. Viduka was available to be selected to Australia , Croatia and Ukraine due to his origins, and he began his international career with Australia in a friendly series against South Africa at the age of 18 in June 1994. The first game
17980-456: The season, including a stunning volley away at Birmingham . He played an important part in helping the club reach the League Cup quarter final, FA Cup semi final and UEFA cup final . Viduka helped to spearhead a European campaign which saw the club overturn a three-goal deficit in the quarter and semi final second legs of the competition to proceed to the final. Middlesbrough eventually lost in
18125-437: The second half of the season. In his first season, Viduka scored 22 goals, including all four in a memorable 4–3 win over Liverpool at Elland Road . He signed a five-year deal in the summer of 2001 and would star in both domestic competitions and Europe, with Leeds finishing in the country's top four in 2000–01, and fifth in 2001–02. In the summer of 2001, Viduka was the subject of interest from A.C. Milan , whom he supported as
18270-543: The sexes are so widely divided are all on the side of emancipation , and I look forward to the time when ladies may sit in Parliament and have a voice in the direction of affairs, especially those which concern them most." Honeyball and those like her paved the way for women's football. However, the women's game was frowned upon by the British football associations and continued without their support. It has been suggested that this
18415-457: The side and he scored their solitary goal against Iraq , a game which they ultimately lost 1–3. In the next match, he scored two goals against co-host team Thailand , defeating them 4–0; other goals scored by Michael Beauchamp and Harry Kewell and making them fall out of the remaining competition. At one stage, he led the goalscoring at the Asian Cup tournament, although his team was eliminated in
18560-564: The sport. The result of this can be seen in the many great soccer players of Croatian heritage that have played for the Knights at the senior level over the past six decades. The success of the club's youth development can be seen in the number of Knights players that have gone onto play in some of the best soccer leagues around the world and play international soccer; 38 Knights players have played for Australia at senior level and 3 for Croatia. As well as countless others who played for Australia at Under 17, Under 20 and Under 23 levels. An example of
18705-573: The supporter group was the Knights Army, they were one of the leading supporter groups in the competition. They disbanded once the Melbourne Knights left the NSL. The club's current home ground is the Knights Stadium in the suburb of North Sunshine , which has been the club's home since 1989. It has a capacity of 15,000. More information on the Knights Stadium page. Prior to 1989 the club had
18850-447: The time it was recovered, the clock had run out and the game was over, leaving Stoke unable to attempt the penalty. The same law also states that the duration of either half is extended until a penalty kick to be taken or retaken is completed; thus, no game can end with an uncompleted penalty. In league competitions, games may end in a draw. In knockout competitions where a winner is required, various methods may be employed to break such
18995-531: The time of the first recorded women's games in the late 19th century. The best-documented early European team was founded by activist Nettie Honeyball in England in 1894. It was named the British Ladies' Football Club . Honeyball is quoted as, "I founded the association late last year [1894], with the fixed resolve of proving to the world that women are not the 'ornamental and useless' creatures men have pictured. I must confess, my convictions on all matters where
19140-422: The tournament or be the champion. Goals scored during extra time periods count towards the final score of the game, but kicks from the penalty mark are only used to decide the team that progresses to the next part of the tournament, with goals scored in a penalty shoot-out not making up part of the final score. In competitions using two-legged matches , each team competes at home once, with an aggregate score from
19285-597: The transmission of cuju outside of China, especially the form of the game popular in the Tang dynasty , the period when the inflatable ball was invented and replaced the stuffed ball. Other East Asian games include kemari in Japan and chuk-guk in Korea, both influenced by cuju . Kemari originated after the year 600 during the Asuka period . It was a ceremonial rather than
19430-414: The tune of Leonard Cohen 's " Hallelujah ". Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate embraced the tune as a way of raising money for his chosen charity, Macmillan Cancer Support . Leonard Cohen gave permission for the song to be released as a charity download single. Viduka was a huge AC Milan fan as a kid as he grew up watching Marco van Basten , Frank Rijkaard and Ruud Gullit . Viduka has been
19575-439: The two matches deciding which team progresses. Where aggregates are equal, the away goals rule may be used to determine the winners, in which case the winner is the team that scored the most goals in the leg they played away from home. If the result is still equal, extra time and potentially a penalty shoot-out are required. Under the Laws, the two basic states of play during a game are ball in play and ball out of play . From
19720-399: The two most famous coming in the 90s. The first came in the 1990–91 Grand Final, which South Melbourne won on penalties. The other being the 1994–95 Major Semi-Final where the Knights won 3–2, with Mark Viduka scoring a spectacular hat-trick. That win booked a spot in the Grand Final for the club. The match is regarded as one of the greatest matches in the history of Australian club soccer. For
19865-510: Was Charterhouse . The Freemasons' Tavern was the setting for five more meetings of The FA between October and December 1863; the English FA eventually issued the first comprehensive set of rules named Laws of the Game , forming modern football. The laws included bans on running with the ball in hand and hacking (kicking an opponent in the shins), tripping and holding. Eleven clubs, under the charge of FA secretary Ebenezer Cobb Morley , ratified
20010-408: Was also a part of the Australia team that competed in the 1997 Confederations Cup . He scored Australia's opening goal in a 3–1 win over Mexico in Australia's first group game. However, in the final against Brazil he was sent off in the 24th minute after receiving a red card. Australia went on to lose the encounter 6–0. In 1999, Viduka featured in a friendly against Brazil. The game was played at
20155-527: Was first recorded as in exercise in the Zhan Guo Ce , a military history from the Han dynasty . Cuju players would pass the ball around, having to avoid it touching the ground at any point. It was then passed to a designated player, who attempted to kick it through the fengliu yan , a circular goal atop 10–11 meter poles. During the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), cuju games were standardised and rules were established. The Silk Road facilitated
20300-419: Was first recorded in 1889 in the earlier form of socca . Kicking ball games arose independently multiple times across multiple cultures. The Chinese competitive game cuju ( 蹴鞠 , literally "kickball"; also known as tsu chu ) resembles modern association football as well as a mix of basketball, and volleyball. This is the earliest form of a kicking game for which there is historical evidence. The game
20445-507: Was in a World Cup Qualifier against Solomon Islands in Sydney, in which Australia won 7–0. He scored 2 goals on the occasion including a spectacular bicycle-kick goal. Viduka would go on to score a third goal only to be denied a hat-trick after being ruled offside. It was his first time playing against a team from the Oceana region. In October 2005, he continued his captaincy when he led Australia to
20590-497: Was motivated by a perceived threat to the "masculinity" of the game. Women's football became popular on a large scale at the time of the First World War , when female employment in heavy industry spurred the growth of the game, much as it had done for men 50 years earlier. The most successful team of the era was Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C. of Preston, England . The team played in one of the first women's international matches against
20735-441: Was one of the first of the new non-ethnic clubs to be introduced by Soccer Australia's president David Hill. It was all a part of the plan to broaden the supporter base of the NSL and to restructure the league. The arrival of these clubs immediately created a rivalry between the ethnic and non-ethnic clubs of the NSL. The most heated of these was the rivalry between the Melbourne Knights and Perth Glory. The rivalry really kicked off in
20880-603: Was played in Adelaide and the second game was played in Sydney. Australia won both games 1–0. He scored his first international goal in October 1997 in the 23rd minute of a friendly game against Tunisia . In 1996, Viduka joined the Olyroos as they competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics . In Australia's first group game they lost to France 2–0. In their second group match they defeated Saudi Arabia 2–1. Viduka scored Australia's second goal in
21025-573: Was the first time in 32 years that Australia qualified to participate in the World Cup. On 21 May 2006, he was named as the Australian captain for the World Cup. In a lead up to the World Cup, Viduka captained Australia to friendly matches against the Netherlands and Greece . The Greece game was played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground . Australia won 1–0. Australia's game with the Netherlands ended with
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