Where did the word ‘futsal’ come from?
It is a combination of two words. The Spanish or Portuguese words for football FUTbol\FUTebol, and the French or Spanish words for indoor, SALon\SALa. In simple terms, Futsal is a FIFA-recognised form of small-sided indoor football. It is played between two teams, five players each on the pitch at any one time, with rolling substitutions. The ball is smaller than football that is harder and less bouncy.
What are the differences between Futsal and Football?
Football is played outdoors with eleven players on each team, while Futsal is generally played indoors with five players on each team. In football three total substitutions are permitted whilst in Futsal unlimited substitutions are permitted. In Football the infamous ‘off-side’ exists, however given the much smaller size of the court, this rule does not exist in Futsal. A football match consists of two halves, 45 minutes each whilst a Futsal match is combined of two halves of 20 minutes each.
If a player is shown a red card this means that they are kicked out of a game, right?
Wrong, in Futsal a sent-off player can be subbed back on after two minutes or after a conceded goal.
Brief History of Futsal
Futsal originated in Uruguay in the 1930s, from Basketball, Handball and Water Polo, which ultimately explains the 5v5 concept, pitch and goal dimensions and the goalkeeper rules. In 1989, it became an official sport recognised by FIFA, with the first World Cup being held in 1989 in the Netherlands, with the winner being Brazil. Throughout the years Futsal has grown and evolved with the contrast being evident in the number of teams participating in the UEFA European Championship in 2022 compared with 1999. In 1999, eight teams competed in the Championships and in 2022, 16 teams will be competing for the Championship.
Playing Positions
Depending on the formations and tactics used by the manager, playing positions in Futsal are the following; Goalkeeper, Defender, Winger and Pivot.
The Goalkeeper is the only player on the pitch that can handle the ball with his hands. Furthermore, the Goalkeeper is also involved in outfield play. The Defender is the last man in front of the Goalkeeper and is important in defending the other team’s attacks while also joining their own team’s attack.
The Winger is usually the most fast and skillful player on the court. His role consists of constantly going up and down the flanks. This is in order to aid in defence while also joining the attack.
The Pivot is typically the most forward player on the pitch. Their role consists of holding the play in the opponents half and setting up their team mates or scoring themselves. The Pivot spends most of their time with their back to the opponents goal.
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