199-681: The Puerto Rico Islanders were a professional association football team based in Bayamón, Puerto Rico . They played in several different leagues from 2004 to 2012, when they suspended operations. In their last two seasons they played in the North American Soccer League (NASL), the second tier of the American soccer pyramid . They played their home games at Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium . The team's colors were orange and white. They were succeeded by Puerto Rico FC . In 1995,
398-462: A UEFA Cup Winners' Cup triumph, with another replayed win, this time over Real Madrid in Athens. The late 1970s through to the '80s was a turbulent period for Chelsea. An ambitious redevelopment of Stamford Bridge threatened the financial stability of the club, star players were sold and the team were relegated. Further problems were caused by a notorious hooligan element among the support, which
597-530: A historic rivalry with Leeds United . In terms of club value, Chelsea is the ninth-most-valuable football club in the world (as of 2024 ), worth $ 3.13 billion, and is the ninth-highest-earning football club in the world. In 1904, Gus Mears acquired the Stamford Bridge athletics stadium in Fulham with the aim of turning it into a football ground. An offer to lease it to nearby Fulham F.C.
796-628: 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
995-439: A 9% win percentage. Lampard's win percentage was the worst for any Chelsea manager who managed three games or more. Chelsea scored a record-low 38 goals across the entire season and finished in the bottom half of the table for the first time since 1995–96. Mauricio Pochettino was announced as Lampard's replacement on 1 July 2023 on a two-year contract. He led Chelsea to a 6th-place finish after winning their final five games of
1194-493: 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
1393-456: A Panamanian international, Gustavo Avila , and Alberto Zapata , a new goalkeeper Josh Saunders , rookie Jay Needham , plus a return of players like Marco Vélez , Petter Villegas and Noah Delgado . The squad was considered serious contenders for the title. After one early success, the team took a turn for the worse. It was evident that Toribio Rojas had lost his edge and after an embarrassing 2–1 loss against bottom table Minnesota Thunder
1592-559: A battled 2–2 match which resulted in favor of Islanders FC and qualified them for the final eight of the CONCACAF Champions League. On December 10, 2008, the Islanders were paired against C.D. Marathón in the final eight draft. On February 26, 2009, the team defeated C.D. Marathón 2–1, playing at Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium. In the second date of this stage, they pulled off a last-minute victory, one goal to none, in
1791-442: 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
1990-544: A close game back in Puerto Rico it was C.S.D. Municipal's turn in a 0–1 loss with a goal near the end of the match. These two losses had the team in a tight position as they were also going through their USL finals match. It was a must win situation for the last match against Tauro F.C. in Panama or at least a tie in order to qualify for the next stage in the tournament. On October 29, 2008, Islanders FC vs Tauro F.C. ended in
2189-574: 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
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#17327758642372388-505: 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
2587-606: A game that took place at San Pedro Sula. On March 17, 2009, The Islanders defeated Cruz Azul , two goals to none, in the first leg of the semifinals in Bayamón. On the second leg, played on April 7, 2009, Cruz Azul won 2–0 and drove the game into extra time, where it ended 3–1, the away goal not being a tie breaker because the away goals rule do not apply in extra time in CONCACAF. The game was decided on penalties and ended 4–2 in favor of Cruz Azul. The Puerto Rico Islanders started
2786-400: 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
2985-528: A gold star to their logo following the USSF Division 2 Professional League play-off title win in 2010. Also, an additional two stars are embroidered on the left shirt sleeve to signify the CFU Club Cup successes of 2010 and 2011 . This incarnation of the Islanders has always played their home games at Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium in the city of Bayamón , which is located about 10 minutes from
3184-603: A large market garden) with the aim of staging football matches on the now 12.5 acre (51,000 m ) site. Stamford Bridge was designed for the Mears family by the noted football architect Archibald Leitch , who had designed Ibrox , Craven Cottage and Hampden Park . Most football clubs were founded first, and then sought grounds in which to play, but Chelsea were founded for Stamford Bridge. Starting with an open bowl-like design and one grandstand with seating, Stamford Bridge had an original capacity of around 100,000, making it
3383-640: 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
3582-529: 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
3781-532: A much stronger squad, which was relatively unchanged from the squad that made it to the semifinals of the USL First Division playoffs and it showed, making it all the way to the tournaments semifinals losing out to Joe Public F.C. 0–1 from a late goal. The entire tournament was played in Trinidad and Tobago, the Islanders headed their group with a 2–2 tied against Harbor View FC , which later became
3980-556: A new group of Puerto Rican businessmen officially created another incarnation of the Puerto Rico Islanders. The team played their first season in the A-League in 2004. The original squad included a large number of local Puerto Rican players as well as a contingent of mainland Americans , Brazilians , Salvadorans and Argentines . The team was coached by Brazilian Vitor Hugo Barros who was replaced several games into
4179-457: A new ownership group, led by Todd Boehly , Clearlake Capital , Mark Walter and Hansjörg Wyss , to acquire the club. The group was later known as BlueCo . The UK government approved the £4.25bn takeover, ending Abramovich's 19-year ownership of the club. Bruce Buck , who served as chairman since 2003, was replaced by Boehly, while long-serving club director and de facto sporting director Marina Granovskaia left, as did Petr Čech from
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#17327758642374378-426: 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
4577-565: A profit in the first nine years of Abramovich's ownership, and made record losses of £140m in June 2005. I am a fan of special nature. I'm excited before every single game. The trophy at the end is less important than the process itself. —Abramovich discussing two trophy-laden years at Chelsea (2006). In 2009, under caretaker manager Guus Hiddink , Chelsea won another FA Cup . In 2009–10 , his successor Carlo Ancelotti led them to their first Premier League and FA Cup Double , becoming
4776-585: A record of 10 wins, 1 loss and 7 ties against their South Carolina rivals. From 2008, the Islanders have met with the Rochester Rhinos in the USL-NASL playoffs with the Islanders eliminating the Rhinos from the series in both 2008 and 2009. The Islanders' main rivals within Puerto Rico are Club Atlético River Plate Puerto Rico . Their rivalry dates back to around the year 2005 when River wanted to join
4975-416: 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
5174-579: A reputation for signing star players and attracted large crowds. The club had the highest average attendance in English football in ten separate seasons including 1907–08 , 1909–10 , 1911–12 , 1912–13 , 1913–14 and 1919–20 . They were FA Cup semi-finalists in 1920 and 1932 and remained in the First Division throughout the 1930s, but success eluded the club in the inter-war years. Former Arsenal and England centre-forward Ted Drake
5373-576: 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
5572-643: A spot in the finals against Vancouver. In a controversial decision, the league awarded Vancouver the right to host the finals. After a 3–0 defeat against Santos Laguna in the CCL the club headed to Vancouver where after a hard-fought game, the Islanders lost 2–1. The club would also sweep the USL-1 individual awards starting with Coach of the Year Colin Clarke, Defender of the Year ( Cristian Arrieta ), Goalkeeper of
5771-615: A strong start to the 2024-25 season with 22 points in 12 match's in the Premier League . Chelsea have only had one home ground, Stamford Bridge, where they have played since the team's foundation. The stadium was officially opened on 28 April 1877 and for the next 28 years it was used by the London Athletic Club as an arena for athletics meetings. In 1904, the ground was acquired by businessman Gus Mears and his brother Joseph , who had purchased nearby land (formerly
5970-900: A team called the Puerto Rico Islanders joined the USISL , now the United Soccer Leagues (USL). The team was founded by Joe Serralta and other Puerto Rican businessmen and played only seven games before Serralta decided to move the franchise to Houston, Texas on June 1, changing its name to the Houston Force . The move was prompted by problems with the Puerto Rican Football Federation and low attendances. The Force folded after one game in Houston. Eight years after Serralta's first attempt at professional football, he gave it another go and together with
6169-527: 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
Puerto Rico Islanders - Misplaced Pages Continue
6368-546: A treble of League, FA Cup and League Cup going into the final stages of the 1964–65 season, winning the League Cup but faltering late on in the other two. In three seasons the side were beaten in three major semi-finals and were FA Cup runners-up. Under Docherty's successor, Dave Sexton , Chelsea won the FA Cup in 1970 , beating Leeds United 2–1 in a final replay. The following year, Chelsea took their first European honour,
6567-513: 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
6766-432: 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
6965-415: 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
7164-584: Is among the most widely supported football clubs in the world. It has the sixth-highest average attendance in the history of English football , and regularly attract over 40,000 fans to Stamford Bridge; they were the ninth best-supported Premier League team in the 2023–24 season, with an average gate of 39,700. Chelsea's traditional fanbase comes from all over the Greater London area including working-class parts such as Hammersmith and Battersea , wealthier areas like Chelsea and Kensington , and from
7363-468: 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
7562-610: Is known as "La Barra Naranja" led by the O.S.U. or Orange Star Ultras. The Islanders also have an away game independent supporters group known as "La Legion Extranjera" or the Foreign Legion which is mostly composed of Islanders fans of Puerto Rican origin who live in the United States and travel to the cities in which the team plays. The club's main rivalry was against the Charleston Battery , going back to
7761-592: Is located in Cobham, Surrey . Chelsea moved to Cobham in 2004. Their previous training ground in Harlington was taken over by QPR in 2005. The new training facilities in Cobham were completed in 2007. Stamford Bridge hosted the FA Cup final from 1920 to 1922, has held 10 FA Cup Semi-finals (most recently in 1978 ), ten FA Charity Shield matches (the last in 1970 ), and three England international matches,
7960-410: 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
8159-438: 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
Puerto Rico Islanders - Misplaced Pages Continue
8358-405: 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
8557-816: 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
8756-506: 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
8955-624: Is the Colour"). Chelsea released the song " No One Can Stop Us Now " in 1994 for reaching the 1994 FA Cup final . It reached number 23 in the UK Singles Chart. In the build-up to the 1997 FA Cup final , the song " Blue Day ", performed by Suggs and members of the Chelsea squad, reached number 22 in the UK chart. In 2000, Chelsea released the song " Blue Tomorrow ". It reached number 22 in
9154-593: 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
9353-455: 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
9552-435: 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
9751-404: 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
9950-421: 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
10149-457: The 2005–06 season and marked a return to the older design, used from 1953 to 1986, featuring a blue heraldic lion holding a staff. For the centenary season this was accompanied by the words '100 Years' and 'Centenary 2005–2006' on the top and bottom of the crest respectively. Chelsea have always worn blue shirts, although they originally used the paler eton blue , which was taken from the racing colours of then club president, Earl Cadogan , and
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#173277586423710348-400: The 2009–10 season, the third highest in the division, and 27 banning orders were issued, the fifth-highest in the division. Chelsea have long-standing rivalries with North London clubs Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur . A strong rivalry with Leeds United dates back to several heated and controversial matches in the 1960s and 1970s, particularly the 1970 FA Cup final . More recently
10547-468: The 2021 FIFA Club World Cup (the first for the club) in Abu Dhabi after beating Brazilian Palmeiras 2–1. On 18 April 2021, Chelsea announced it would be joining a new European Super League , a league competition comprising the biggest European clubs. After a backlash from supporters, the club announced their withdrawal days later. The club opted against furloughing their non-matchday staff during
10746-633: The CONCACAF Champions League . The first leg of the series was played on August 27, 2008, in the Alajuelense home ground, the Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto and in front of 900 spectators, the game ended with a hard-fought 1–1 draw. The second leg was played on September 3, and it took the Islanders two late goals to come from behind and win the game 2–1; with an aggregate of 3–2, the Islanders advanced to
10945-630: The CONCACAF Champions League 2009-10 on July 29, 2009, against Toronto FC in preliminary round action. The Islanders won the first match 1–0 with a goal from Kendall Jagdeosingh . The return match was played to a goalless draw, and so the Islanders advanced to the group round. In the Group Phase, the Islanders lost away to the Crew 2–0, then lost away at Saprissa. They were able to draw at home against Cruz Azul in Matchday 3, albeit after giving up
11144-591: The COVID-19 pandemic , with the decision reportedly coming from Abramovich himself. Chelsea, one of the first clubs to help the National Health Service , lent the club-owned Millennium Hotel for the NHS staff. "[Chelsea] have been a success machine for the last 10–20 years. That doesn't just come with money, we've seen at Manchester United and Arsenal where they've put billions into the team and not had
11343-527: 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
11542-585: The Carolina Railhawks . Almost two weeks after their defeat in the CCL the club entered the USL 1 season as heavy favorites opening their season against defending Champions Vancouver Whitecaps on April 18 with a 2–1 victory at Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium , Bayamón . In September 2010 the Islanders announced they were leaving the USL to join the North American Soccer League for the 2011 season. Clarke left
11741-621: The Fulham Road , which places constraints on expansion due to health and safety regulations. The club have consistently affirmed their desire to keep Chelsea at their current home, but have nonetheless been linked with a move to various nearby sites, including the Earls Court Exhibition Centre , Battersea Power Station and the Chelsea Barracks . In October 2011, a proposal from the club to buy back
11940-604: The League Cup final , which they lost on penalties to Manchester City and won the Europa League for a second time, beating Arsenal 4–1 in the final. Sarri then left the club to become manager of Juventus and was replaced by former Chelsea player Frank Lampard . In Lampard's first season , he guided Chelsea to fourth place in the Premier League and reached the FA Cup final , losing 2–1 to Arsenal. Lampard
12139-517: The London Monarchs American Football team for the 1997 season . The previous owner Abramovich and the club's then executive board determined that a larger stadium is necessary in order for Chelsea to stay competitive with rival clubs who have significantly larger stadia, such as Arsenal and Manchester United . Owing to its location next to a main road and two railway lines, fans can only enter Stamford Bridge via
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#173277586423712338-504: The Minnesota Stars in the playoffs. The Islanders announced in late 2012 that they would sit out the spring half of the 2013 North American Soccer League season ; later, they announced that they would sit out the entire 2013 season with the aim of restructuring and returning for 2014. This came on the heels of a season where the Islanders were forced to play home games at Bayamon Soccer Complex while Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium
12537-703: The Puerto Rico Soccer League , their rivalry is expected to become into the first Puerto Rican Football Classic or "El Clásico Boricua". Their first two matches took place in the Supercopa DirecTV 2010 finals in 2010. River won both games and went on to win the championship. The Puerto Rico Islanders C is the club's U-20 team. It participates in the Puerto Rican 2nd Division , with the goal of developing players from PRISA with extraordinary potential so that they can eventually make
12736-610: The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and the UEFA Super Cup in 1998 , and the FA Cup in 2000 . They mounted a strong title challenge in 1998–99, finishing four points behind champions Manchester United, and made their first appearance in the UEFA Champions League . Vialli was sacked in favour of Claudio Ranieri , who guided Chelsea to the 2002 FA Cup final and Champions League qualification in 2002–03. With
12935-500: The home counties . There are numerous official supporters clubs in the United Kingdom and all over the world. Between 2007 and 2012, Chelsea were ranked fourth worldwide in annual replica kit sales, with an average of 910,000. As of 2023, Chelsea has 118.9 million followers on social media, the fourth highest among football clubs. During the 1970s and 1980s in particular, Chelsea supporters were associated with football hooliganism . The club's " football firm ", originally known as
13134-470: The pitch , the turnstiles and Chelsea's naming rights are now owned by Chelsea Pitch Owners , a non-profit organisation in which fans are the shareholders. The CPO was created to ensure the stadium could never again be sold to developers. As a condition for using the Chelsea FC name, the club has to play its first team matches at Stamford Bridge, which means that if the club moves to a new stadium, they may have to change their name. Chelsea's training ground
13333-469: 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
13532-460: The 1966 FA Cup semi-final they wore blue and black stripes, based on Inter Milan 's kit. In the mid-1970s, the away strip was a red, white and green kit inspired by the Hungarian national side of the 1950s. Other away kits include an all jade strip worn from 1986 to 1989, red and white diamonds from 1990 to 1992, graphite and tangerine from 1994 to 1996, and luminous yellow from 2007 to 2008. The graphite and tangerine strip has appeared in lists of
13731-450: The 2008 season with a 1–0 defeat against Portland , the club had a slow start with a record of 1 victory, 2 ties and 3 losses in its first 6 games, but by the end of July the Islanders were on a 5-game victory streak that would lay the foundation for their first Commissioner's Cup run. On August 8 the club would beat Rochester 4–0 putting them for the first time at the top of the table, a position they would compete for against Vancouver for
13930-526: The 2011 season, the company OneLink Communications broadcast all Puerto Rico Islanders home games in Spanish only for Puerto Rico. They broadcast in English via the official website of the Puerto Rico Islanders with live streaming for free. For details of former players, see List of Puerto Rico Islanders players Information correct as of match played September 21, 2008. Only competitive matches are counted Association football Association football , more commonly known as football or soccer ,
14129-439: The 2023–24 season, which earned the club a Conference League play-off round qualification . After clashing with the sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley over strategy and management of the young squad, Pochettino agreed to leave the club at the end of the season. On 3 June 2024, Enzo Maresca was announced as Pochettino's replacement, with the Italian set to start his activity on 1 July 2024. Chelsea had
14328-542: The Capital San Juan . The "JRL", as it is now known, was originally a baseball stadium scheduled for demolition, and in 2003, it was converted into a soccer stadium for the Islanders. It is also home to all levels of the Puerto Rico national football team as well as the Islanders' affiliate team in the local Puerto Rico Soccer League , Bayamón FC . The stadium has a capacity of 12,500 spectators. In 2008,
14527-548: The Chelsea Shed Boys, and subsequently as the Chelsea Headhunters , were nationally notorious for football violence, alongside hooligan firms from other clubs such as West Ham United 's Inter City Firm and Millwall 's Bushwackers , before, during and after matches. The increase of hooligan incidents in the 1980s led chairman Ken Bates to propose erecting an electric fence to deter them from invading
14726-576: 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
14925-910: 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
15124-467: 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
15323-475: 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
15522-457: The Islanders at the end of the 2011 season after accepting the job as Carolina RailHawks head coach, replacing Martin Rennie at that club, who had recently been promoted to head coach of Major League Soccer 's Vancouver Whitecaps FC . On December 8, 2011, Islanders assistant coach Adrian Whitbread was named Clarke's successor. The Islanders finished 3rd in the regular season but were upset by
15721-438: The Islanders finished the 2004 season in 14th place, with a record of 5 wins, 17 losses and 6 ties. In 2005, the Islanders still under Hugo Hernán Maradona brought in a new group of players that would become staples in the club for the next couple of seasons ( Petter Villegas , Marco Vélez , Dan Kennedy , Caleb Norkus , Alejandro González Pareja and Noah Delgado ), and retained several key players like Mauricio Salles . At
15920-485: The Islanders host Group C which included Hoppers F.C. ( Antigua and Barbuda ), W Connection ( Trinidad and Tobago ) and Fruta Conquerors ( Guyana ), the latter dropped out of the tournament weeks before group play. The Islanders beat Hoppers FC 3–1 but lost to W-Connection 0–1 ending the squads first international appearance. In October 2007, the Islanders came into the CFU Club Championship 2007 with
16119-524: The Islanders' first year in the A-League. Charleston was the first team the Islanders beat and since then the Islanders have routinely beaten or tied Charleston. In 2006, Charleston stopped the Islanders' playoff run, giving them their only victory in the series. In 2007, the Islanders beat the Battery in the last game of the season, stopping Charleston's hope for a playoff berth. The Islanders currently have
16318-430: 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
16517-676: 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
16716-479: 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
16915-520: The Mariners. The club would finish comfortably in 6th place, two spots on top of the last playoff spot. The Islanders managed to edge out Montreal during its Quarterfinals series with an aggregate score of 5–3, but fell 4–2 in penalties against regular-season champions Seattle Sounders after losing the home leg and tying the series in Seattle. The 2008 season would be Clarke's first full season as
17114-500: The Second Division championship in 1988–89. After a long-running legal battle, Bates reunited the stadium freehold with the club in 1992 by doing a deal with the banks of the property developers, who had been bankrupted by a market crash. In the mid-1990s Chelsea fan and businessman Matthew Harding became a director and loaned the club £26 million to build the new North Stand and invest in new players. Chelsea's form in
17313-463: The UK Singles Chart. At matches, Chelsea fans sing chants such as " Carefree " (to the tune of " Lord of the Dance ", whose lyrics were probably written by supporter Mick Greenaway), "Ten Men Went to Mow", "We All Follow the Chelsea" (to the tune of " Land of Hope and Glory "), "Zigga Zagga", and the celebratory "Celery". The latter is often accompanied by fans throwing celery at each other, although
17512-786: The USL did not allow the #1-seed Islanders to host the USL-1 Championship match, citing that the Stadium was unsuitable. The match was played in Vancouver, where Puerto Rico lost to the Whitecaps, 2–1. On December 8 of 2008, the Finance Vice-President of the club Jorge Pierluisi, established a preliminary meeting with the firm CMA Architects and Engineers along with Positive Impact-Sports and Entertainment Management Consultants to discuss and evaluate improvements to
17711-419: The USL, but the Islanders had territorial rights in Puerto Rico and they didn't allow River to join. Ever since then River Plate's front office, fans, and some players have had a grudge against the Islanders. The rivalry is a very special one though because the teams had never faced in neither an official nor an unofficial match until 2010, even though the rivalry started way before then. With the Islanders joining
17910-516: The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy had requested that the US government not levy sanctions against Abramovich given his importance to war relief efforts. We're all in – 100% – every minute of every match. Our vision as owners is clear: we want to make the fans proud. —Todd Boehly, addressing the press after the takeover. On 7 May 2022, Chelsea confirmed that terms have been agreed for
18109-480: 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
18308-459: The Year ( Bill Gaudette ), and USL-1 MVP ( Jonny Steele ). The Islanders just coming off a successful 2008 season started preparations for 2009 early in February where they traveled to Florida for a group of friendlies against teams like New York Red Bulls , Chicago Fire and the 2008 MLS Champions Columbus Crew . The club in an attempt to repeat what was achieved the previous year brought back
18507-452: 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
18706-460: 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
18905-410: 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
19104-534: 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
19303-404: 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
19502-711: The bulk of the roster with the notable exception of Kenyan International Taiwo Atieno and Salvadorian Edwin Miranda . Also they signed manager Colin Clarke to a three-year contract as a way to bring continuity to the squad. Before the CCL's Quarterfinals Clarke, as a way to strengthen the squad brought in midfielder Martin Nuñez from the Carolina Railhawks , defender Kevon Villaroel from San Juan Jabloteh , and striker Sean Fraser from Miami FC . But most notably Jamaican striker Nicholas Addlery who had an immediate impact on
19701-750: 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
19900-420: The club adopted orange, dark blue and white as their primary colors. That year they wore dark blue with thick vertical orange stripes and dark blue shorts as their home kits and orange with white thick vertical stripes and orange shorts as their away kit. In 2007 the club switch to orange with white vertical pinstripes and orange shorts as their home kits and dark blue with orange vertical stripes that curve towards
20099-410: The club facing an apparent financial crisis, Bates unexpectedly sold Chelsea F.C. in June 2003 for £60 million. In so doing, he reportedly recognised a personal profit of £17 million on the club he had bought for £1 in 1982 (his stake had been diluted to just below 30% over the years). The club's new owner was Russian oligarch and billionaire Roman Abramovich , who took on responsibility for
20298-621: The club has won six league titles , eight FA Cups , five League Cups , and four FA Community Shields . Internationally, they have won the UEFA Champions League , the UEFA Europa League , the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and the UEFA Super Cup twice each, and the FIFA Club World Cup once. In terms of overall trophies won, Chelsea is the fifth-most successful club in English football . The club has rivalries with neighbouring teams Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur , and
20497-423: The club released a statement saying that the new stadium project had been put on hold indefinitely, citing "the current unfavourable investment climate." In July 2022, it was reported that the club's new owner Todd Boehly had appointed American architect Janet Marie Smith to oversee the renovation of the stadium. Chelsea has had four main crests , which all underwent minor variations. The first, adopted when
20696-525: The club scoring 5 goals in his first five games with the Islanders. The club would make it all the way to the semi-finals, where they lost to Cruz Azul of Mexico in penalty shots after the series was tied 3–3 in Estadio Azul , Mexico City on April 7. During this time they also acquired former Los Angeles Galaxy defender Kyle Veris , midfielder Domenic Mediate , who had just been released from D.C. United , and goalkeeper Chris McClellan formally with
20895-479: The club was founded, was the image of a Chelsea Pensioner , the army veterans who reside at the nearby Royal Hospital Chelsea . This contributed to the club's original "pensioner" nickname, and remained for the next half-century, though it never appeared on the shirts. When Ted Drake became Chelsea manager in 1952, he began to modernise the club. Believing the Chelsea pensioner crest to be old-fashioned, he insisted that it be replaced. A stop-gap badge which comprised
21094-414: The club were under threat of eviction from the stadium. Following a long legal battle, it was not until the mid-1990s that Chelsea's future at Stamford Bridge was secured and renovation work resumed. The north, west and southern parts of the ground were converted into all-seater stands and moved closer to the pitch, a process completed by 2001. The East Stand was retained from the 1970s development. In 1996,
21293-469: The club's manager and he worked quickly to revamp the club's line-up, bringing back just a few players from the 2007 squad. He would bring in players like Sandi Gbandi , Jonny Steele , Bill Gaudette , Kendall Jagdeosingh , Osei Telesford among other who would prove key in the race for the regular season title. After a brief preseason in Florida playing against weaker college sides, the Islanders started
21492-414: The club's £80 million of debt, quickly paying some of it. Sergei Pugachev alleged Chelsea was bought on Putin's orders, an allegation Abramovich has denied. Bates mentioned that Abramovich was in talks to buy Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur before he bought Chelsea in a deal sealed in a day. Over £100 million was spent on new players, but Ranieri was unable to deliver any trophies, and
21691-424: The competition before it started. Chelsea failed to build on this success, and spent the remainder of the 1950s in mid-table. Drake was dismissed in 1961 and replaced by player-coach Tommy Docherty . Docherty built a new team around the group of talented young players emerging from the club's youth set-up, and Chelsea challenged for honours throughout the 1960s, enduring several near-misses. They were on course for
21890-425: 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
22089-453: 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
22288-420: 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
22487-405: 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
22686-431: The end of the season, the Islanders had an improved season record with 10 wins, 10 losses and 8 ties, this time barely missing the playoff. The Islanders opened their 2006 season with a mix of new players like Argentine Gustavo Barros-Schelotto , Chilean Arturo Norambuena , Canadian Alen Marcina , and homegrown talent Marco Vélez , Alexis Rivera Curet , Rafael Ortiz Huertas , and American Dan Kennedy to create one of
22885-403: The final game of the season against Miami on September 10, 2006, they attracted a record crowd of nearly 11,000 fans. Early in the second half Miami took the lead. It wasn't until the 43rd minute of the second half that the Islanders equalized with an Arturo Norambuena penalty. A draw was sufficient for the Islanders to qualify in front of Seattle and Atlanta. In the first round of the playoffs,
23084-686: The first English club to have won all three pre-1999 main European club competitions, the "European Treble" of the European Cup/UEFA Champions League , European/UEFA Cup Winners' Cup , and UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League . They are the only club to have won all three major European competitions twice. They are the only London club to have won the Champions League and the Club World Cup. Domestically,
23283-457: The first English top-flight club to score 100 league goals in a season since 1963 . In 2012, Roberto Di Matteo led Chelsea to their seventh FA Cup , and their first UEFA Champions League title , beating Bayern Munich 4–3 on penalties, the first London club to win the trophy. The following year the club won the UEFA Europa League , making them the first club to hold two major European titles simultaneously and one of five clubs to have won
23482-420: 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
23681-430: The forepaws a crozier or all within an annulet azure "). In 1986, with Ken Bates owner of the club, Chelsea's crest was changed again as part of another attempt to modernise and because the old rampant lion badge could not be trademarked. The new badge featured a more naturalistic non-heraldic lion, in white and not blue, standing over the C.F.C. initials. This lasted for the next 19 years, with some modifications such as
23880-528: 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
24079-531: 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
24278-544: The freehold to the land on which Stamford Bridge sits was voted down by Chelsea Pitch Owners shareholders. In May 2012, the club made a formal bid to purchase Battersea Power Station , with a view to developing the site into a new stadium, but lost out to a Malaysian consortium. The club subsequently announced plans to redevelop Stamford Bridge into a 60,000-seater stadium, and in January 2017 these plans were approved by Hammersmith and Fulham council. However, on 31 May 2018,
24477-483: The game ending as a draw. Four days later, they played Puerto Rico United with a final score of 3 to 0 in favor of them. On November 12, 2010, the Islanders thrashed Caguas Huracán 11 to nothing. The Islanders finished in second place in the Supercopa. During the club's first two years (2004–2005) they played in all white and all blue kits, with no clear distinction between which was considered its home kit. In 2006
24676-695: 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
24875-425: 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
25074-553: The ground on Fulham Road , and were elected to the Football League shortly afterwards. Chelsea won promotion to the First Division in their second season, and yo-yoed between the First and Second Divisions in its early years. The team reached the 1915 FA Cup final , where they lost to Sheffield United at Old Trafford, and finished third in the First Division in 1920, the club's best league campaign to that point. Chelsea had
25273-517: The group stage after winning 5–3 on aggregate (despite losing 1–2 at home). In the group stage, the Islanders finished 3rd behind Club Toluca and Club Deportivo Olimpia , getting eliminated from the competition. 2010 was the first year that the Puerto Rico Islanders played in a tournament from the PRSL in the form of the Supercopa DirecTV 2010 . They were placed in group B of the tournament. The Islanders made their debut vs Sevilla FC Puerto Rico with
25472-624: The group stage, being placed in Group D, which included Club Santos Laguna , Tauro F.C. , and C.S.D. Municipal . In the first game of this round, the team defeated Tauro F.C. by one goal, with a final score of 2–1. On September 23, the Islanders defeated Santos Laguna, 3–1. In the third game, the team tied with Municipal with two goals each. On the return matches, the team lost to Santos FC 3–0 in Torreón, Mexico playing with their "bench" team preparing for their respective USL semi-finals matches. After in
25671-404: 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
25870-666: The initials C.F.C. was adopted for a year. In 1953, the club crest was changed to an upright blue lion looking backwards and holding a staff . It was based on elements in the coat of arms of the Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea with the "lion rampant regardant" taken from the arms of then club president Viscount Chelsea and the staff from the Abbots of Westminster , former Lords of the Manor of Chelsea. It featured three red roses, to represent England, and two footballs. This
26069-687: 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
26268-778: The international stage participating in the CFU Club Championship , in hope of qualifying for the CONCACAF Champions Cup . This is possible because Puerto Rican football is governed by the Federación Puertorriqueña de Fútbol instead of the United States Soccer Federation . This first attempt at international success was the first time a team from Puerto Rico ever participated in its confederation's club competitions. The CFU Club Championship 2006 played in November saw
26467-557: The jump to either the Islanders or Bayamón FC . The Puerto Rico Islanders Soccer Academy or PRISA was founded in 2006 and it is made up of U6, U8, U12, U14, U15, U17 youth teams and the Islanders C squad (U20). In 2008 the Islanders opened another academy in the northern city of Arecibo under the PRISA umbrella called the Arecibo Islanders Soccer Academy , which is composed from U5 to U20 teams. Populoso
26666-707: 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
26865-552: The last in 1932; it was the venue for an unofficial Victory International in 1946. The 2013 UEFA Women's Champions League final was played at Stamford Bridge as well. The stadium has been used for a variety of other sports. In October 1905 it hosted a rugby union match between the All Blacks and Middlesex, and in 1914 hosted a baseball match between the touring New York Giants and the Chicago White Sox . It
27064-574: The lead late in the match. On matchday 4, they were again ahead at home, but allowed a goal at the buzzer to leave the game a 1–1 draw vs Saprissa. On match day 5, the Islanders lost to Cruz Azul in Mexico City, 2–0. This loss officially eliminated the Islanders from advancement in the tournament. The Islanders began the Champions League on July 27, 2010, with a 4–1 away win at Major League Soccer 's Los Angeles Galaxy and advanced to
27263-614: 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
27462-534: 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,
27661-402: The new Premier League was unconvincing, although they did reach the 1994 FA Cup final . The appointment of Ruud Gullit as player-manager in 1996 began an upturn in the team's fortunes. He added several top international players to the side and led the club to their first major honour since 1971, the FA Cup . Gullit was replaced by Gianluca Vialli , whose reign saw Chelsea win the League Cup ,
27860-502: The new head coach Toribio Rojas , Jorge Alvial 's assistant coach, finishing the season in 6th place and with a record of 10–8–10. In the weekend before the 2006 playoffs, the Islanders hosted Miami FC twice, who had Brazilians Romário and Zinho in their line up. The Islanders needed four points to qualify for the Playoffs. After going down 0–2 in the first half the Islanders managed to come back and win 4–2 in front of 8,600. In
28059-414: 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. Chelsea F.C. Chelsea Football Club is a professional football club based in Fulham , West London, England. They compete in the Premier League ,
28258-632: The north stand was renamed the Matthew Harding stand, after the club director and benefactor who was killed in a helicopter crash earlier that year. When Stamford Bridge was redeveloped in the Bates era many additional features were added to the complex including two Millennium & Copthorne hotels , apartments, bars, restaurants, the Chelsea Megastore, and an interactive visitor attraction called Chelsea World of Sport. The intention
28457-426: 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,
28656-470: 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
28855-432: 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
29054-644: The pitch, a proposal that the Greater London Council rejected. Since the 1990s, there has been a marked decline in crowd trouble at matches, as a result of stricter policing, CCTV in grounds and the advent of all-seater stadia . In 2007, the club launched the Back to the Shed campaign to improve the atmosphere at home matches, with notable success. According to Home Office statistics, 126 Chelsea fans were arrested for football-related offences during
29253-501: 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
29452-538: The pitch, the team had fared little better, coming close to relegation to the Third Division for the first time, but in 1983 manager John Neal put together an impressive new team for minimal outlay. Chelsea won the Second Division title in 1983–84 and established themselves in the top division with two top-six finishes, before being relegated again in 1988. The club bounced back immediately by winning
29651-437: 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
29850-400: 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
30049-416: 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
30248-419: 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
30447-440: 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
30646-571: The rest of the season. The Islanders would finish the season with a 15–9–6 record clinching the first position and the Commissioner's Cup. On top of that they achieved this even with a crowded schedule that had them playing 4 games a week between the CCL and the USL-1 Regular season and the Playoffs. The Islanders would be seeded in the semifinals of the league's Playoffs where they would beat Rochester on an aggregate of 3–2 winning them
30845-504: The role of technical and performance advisor. The club brought in Graham Potter from Brighton & Hove Albion to replace Tuchel on 8 September 2022. Chelsea won six of the first 11 games of the 2022–23 season , but only five of the remaining 27. Potter would be sacked on 2 April 2023 and eventually be replaced by Frank Lampard as caretaker manager. Under Lampard the club would only win one of their last 11 matches resulting in
31044-544: 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
31243-658: The season by Argentine Hugo Hernán Maradona , brother of the legendary Diego Armando Maradona . The team played its first league game on April 17, 2004, against the Toronto Lynx at the Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium , the Islanders lost 1–0 in front of a reported 6,000 fans. The Islanders had their first victory on January 15, 2004, against the Charleston Battery with a score of 1–0 at the Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium . Led by players like Mauricio Salles , Raúl Díaz Arce and Luis Fernando Zuleta Mechura
31442-482: The second biggest stadium in England after Crystal Palace . The early 1930s saw the construction of a terrace on the southern part of the ground with a roof that covered around 20% of the stand. As the roof resembled that of a corrugated iron shed, the stand eventually became known as the "Shed End", although it is unknown who first coined this name. From the 1960s, it became known as the home of Chelsea's most loyal and vocal supporters. In 1939, another small seated stand
31641-441: 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
31840-457: The sleeve and dark blue shorts as their away kit. The current home kits is an all orange one, while the away kit is white with gray horizontal pinstripes and white shorts. Since 2006 the club has also added a third kit which was white until 2007. In 2008 the club used a neon green kit with two lighter neon green vertical stripes and black shorts. For the present year, 2009, the third kit is solid royal blue shirt and shorts. The club decided to add
32039-458: The stadium and the remodeling of such. The Islanders have a loyal fan base in Puerto Rico and a small but strong following in the States. Fans come from all over the Island to watch the club play in Bayamón, something uncommon for Puerto Ricans, who tend to be very regionalistic when it comes to supporting professional sports. The team averages between 4,000 and 6,000 fans per game in its home stadium, Juan Ramon Loubriel. The club's supporter group
32238-416: The strongest lineups in the club's short history, in a serious attempt to take the USL Div. 1 title for the first time. Formed under the management of then head coach Jorge Alvial , the 2006 Islanders had a record of 3–2–1 up to early June, when Alvial put in his resignation to become a scout for the English club Chelsea . The club lumbered across the last half of the season barely making the playoffs, under
32437-400: The success that Chelsea have had. Chelsea can feel comfortable that they'll have rich owners, but will they have football-smart owners? Because that's what Abramovich has been. — Gary Neville on Abramovich's legacy. "I don't want to throw my money away but it's really about having fun and that means success and trophies." —Roman Abramovich, in an interview with the BBC following
32636-450: The takeover. Amidst financial sanctions leveled at Russian oligarchs by Western governments in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine , Abramovich stated on 26 February that he would hand over the stewardship of Chelsea to the trustees of the Chelsea Foundation. The trustees did not immediately agree, due to legal concerns regarding the rules of the Charity Commission for England and Wales . A week later, Abramovich wrote-off
32835-412: The team played a home-away series against the Charleston Battery . Unfortunately for the Islanders, Charleston won the series 3–2, ending the 2006 season for the Puerto Ricans. The team came into the 2007 season on a high, they had just played a preseason tournament against MLS teams and achieved very successful results. They also had signed several dangerous players like Panamanian trio Victor Herrera ,
33034-435: The three main UEFA trophies. Mourinho returned as manager in 2013 and led Chelsea to League Cup success in March 2015, and the Premier League title two months later. Mourinho was sacked after four months of the following season after a poor start. In November 2012, Chelsea announced a profit of £1.4 million for the year ending 30 June 2012, the first time the club had made a profit under Abramovich's ownership. This
33233-447: 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
33432-475: 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
33631-413: The top tier of English football . Founded in 1905, the team play their home games at Stamford Bridge . The club won their first major honour, the League championship , in 1955 . They won the FA Cup for the first time in 1970 , won their first European honour, the Cup Winners' Cup , in 1971 , and became the third English club to win the Club World Cup in 2022 . Chelsea is one of five clubs and
33830-422: 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
34029-408: The tournament the Islanders and San Juan Jabloteh (the 2007 local Trinidad & Tobago League Champions), the two teams that lost in the semifinals, played a Home-Away Series to determine who would take the last spot, which ended in a 1–0 aggregate in favor of the Islanders. The Islanders were later matched up against regional powerhouse L.D. Alajuelense of Costa Rica in the preliminary round of
34228-465: The tournament's champions, and two victories. In this tournament, the team also broke several of their on-field records, it achieved its highest score line, a 10–0 victory over Hitachi Centre SAP FC , in the same game Fabrice Noël scored the team's first ever hat trick with a tally of four goals. This would be the last time the Islanders would play to try to qualify to this incarnation of the confederations top club tournament, since this competition format
34427-408: 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
34626-439: 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
34825-400: The use of different colours, including red from 1987 to 1995, and yellow from 1995 until 1999, before the white returned. With the new ownership of Roman Abramovich , and the club's centenary approaching, combined with demands from fans for the popular 1950s badge to be restored, it was decided that the crest should be changed again in 2005. The new crest was officially adopted for the start of
35024-420: The vegetable was banned inside Stamford Bridge after an incident involving midfielder Cesc Fàbregas at the 2007 League Cup final . Popular fan chants include, "Super Chelsea", "Super Frank" (dedicated to all-time leading goal scorer Frank Lampard ), "We love you Chelsea" and "Come on Chelsea". There are situation-specific or team-specific chants meant to rile up opposition teams, managers or players. Chelsea
35223-438: The worst football kits ever. The song " Blue is the Colour " was released as a single in the build-up to the 1972 League Cup final , with all members of Chelsea's first team squad singing; it reached number five in the UK Singles Chart . The song has since been adopted by a number of other sports teams around the world, including the Vancouver Whitecaps (as "White is the Colour") and the Saskatchewan Roughriders (as "Green
35422-538: The £1.5 billion the club owed him, and put the club up for sale, pledging to donate net proceeds from it to the victims of the war in Ukraine. On 10 March 2022, the British government announced sanctions on Abramovich with Chelsea allowed to operate under a special license until 31 May. In the following weeks, reports emerged of Abramovich's involvement in brokering a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia and securing safe evacuation corridors in besieged Ukrainian cities. An American government official revealed that
35621-457: 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
35820-414: Was abandoned in 2008. The team played in the new CONCACAF Champions League , which replaced CONCACAF Champions Cup in 2008–2009. The Islanders were given a chance to qualify as the 2008 CFU Club Championship would be played after the CCL starts, three Caribbean sides would be chosen from last years CFU CC; the Champions, runner-up and the third place team. Since the third place game wasn't played during
36019-427: Was added, the North Stand, which remained until its demolition in 1975. In the early 1970s, the club's owners announced a modernisation of Stamford Bridge with plans for a state-of-the-art 50,000 all-seater stadium. Work began in 1972 but the project was beset with problems and ultimately only the East Stand was completed; the cost brought the club close to bankruptcy. The freehold was sold to property developers and
36218-497: Was appointed manager in 1952 and proceeded to modernise the club. He removed the club's Chelsea pensioner crest, improved the youth set-up and training regime, rebuilt the side with shrewd signings from the lower divisions and amateur leagues, and led Chelsea to their first major trophy success – the League championship – in 1954–55 . The following season saw UEFA create the European Champions' Cup , but after objections from The Football League , Chelsea were persuaded to withdraw from
36417-424: Was being renovated and subsequently averaged just 1,864 fans. In August 2013, club management informed the league that the Islanders would not resume league activities in 2014 due to an inability to secure adequate funding. In 2015, Puerto Rico FC was founded and the Islanders' supporter groups were revived. The new club began play during 2016 North American Soccer League season . In 2006 the Islanders venture into
36616-433: Was dismissed in January 2021 and replaced with Thomas Tuchel . Under Tuchel, Chelsea reached the FA Cup final , losing 1–0 to Leicester City , and won their second UEFA Champions League title with a 1–0 win over Manchester City in Porto. The club subsequently won the 2021 UEFA Super Cup for the second time by defeating Villarreal 6–5 in a penalty shootout, after it had ended 1–1 in Belfast after extra time, and
36815-474: 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
37014-419: 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
37213-452: Was first worn during the 1964–65 season. Since then Chelsea have always worn white socks with their home kit apart from a short spell from 1985 to 1992, when blue socks were reintroduced. Chelsea's away colours are usually all yellow or all white with blue trim. More recently, the club have had a number of black or dark blue away kits which alternate every year. As with most teams, they have had some more unusual ones. At Docherty's behest, in
37412-439: Was followed by a loss in 2013 and then their highest ever profit of £18.4 million for the year to June 2014. In 2018 Chelsea announced a record after-tax profit of £62 million. In 2017, under new coach Antonio Conte , Chelsea won their sixth English title and the following season won their eighth FA Cup. In 2018 Conte was sacked after a fifth-place finish and replaced with Maurizio Sarri , under whom Chelsea reached
37611-462: Was let go from his coaching position and given the post of Youth System Director, when he left the team with a record of 1–3–3. Also, attendance declined. Acting quickly, the club replaced Rojas with former FC Dallas manager Colin Clarke , who had found himself without a job after the Virginia Beach Mariners went out of business. He immediately established himself as a hard and hotheaded coach demanding discipline from his players. Shortly after he
37810-440: 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
38009-585: Was nicknamed "El General" by the media and fans because of the way he led the squad during practice. This change also translated in a change of fortunes for the club, in the first match under Clarke the club beat the Minnesota Thunder 2–1, just a week after, under Toribio, they had lost against them. Clarke also brought in players who would become key figures in the future like Haitian International Fabrice Noel , then Englishman, now Kenyan International, Taiwo Atieno Willie Simms on loan from New England Revolution , and John Krause, who played briefly for Clarke on
38208-487: Was replaced by José Mourinho . Under Mourinho, Chelsea became the fifth English team to win back-to-back league championships since the Second World War ( 2004–05 and 2005–06 ), in addition to winning an FA Cup ( 2007 ) and two League Cups ( 2005 and 2007 ). After a poor start to the 2007–08 season, Mourinho was replaced by Avram Grant , who led the club to their first UEFA Champions League final , which they lost on penalties to Manchester United . The club did not turn
38407-510: Was that these facilities would provide extra revenue to support the football side of the business, but they were less successful than hoped and before the Abramovich takeover in 2003 the debt taken on to finance them was a major burden on the club. Soon after the takeover a decision was taken to drop the "Chelsea Village" brand and refocus on Chelsea as a football club. However, the stadium is sometimes still referred to as part of "Chelsea Village" or "The Village" . The Stamford Bridge freehold ,
38606-401: Was the mascot of the Puerto Rico Islanders soccer team. Populoso was a large bear who wears the same color kit uniform as the Islanders: navy blue, orange, and white. When the Islanders score Populoso is there to encourage the fans. Populoso has the Puerto Rico dance, which is called the Islanders FC mascot dance. Populoso does his dances with the cheerleaders of the Puerto Rico Islanders. For
38805-401: Was the first Chelsea crest to appear on the shirts, in the early 1960s. In 1975, a heraldic badge was granted by the College of Arms to the English Football League for use by Chelsea. The badge took the form of the familiar lion and staff encircled by a blue ring but without lettering and without the red roses and red footballs ( blazoned as " A lion rampant reguardant azure supporting with
39004-414: Was the venue for a boxing match between world flyweight champion Jimmy Wilde and Joe Conn in 1918. The running track was used for dirt track racing between 1928 and 1932, greyhound racing from 1933 to 1968, and Midget car racing in 1948. In 1980, Stamford Bridge hosted the first international floodlit cricket match in the UK, between Essex and the West Indies . It was the home stadium of
39203-428: Was to plague the club throughout the decade. In 1982, at the nadir of their fortunes, Chelsea were acquired by Ken Bates from Mears' great-nephew Brian Mears , for the nominal sum of £1. Bates bought a controlling stake in the club and floated Chelsea on the AIM stock exchange in March 1996 although by now the Stamford Bridge freehold had been sold to property developers, meaning the club faced losing their home. On
39402-422: Was turned down, so Mears opted to found his own club to use the stadium. As there was already a team named Fulham in the borough, the name of the adjacent borough of Chelsea was chosen for the new club; names like Kensington FC , Stamford Bridge FC and London FC were considered. Chelsea F.C. was founded on 10 March 1905 at The Rising Sun pub (now The Butcher's Hook), opposite the present-day main entrance to
39601-402: Was worn with white shorts and dark blue or black socks. The light blue shirts were replaced by a royal blue version in around 1912. In the 1960s Chelsea manager Tommy Docherty changed the kit again, switching to blue shorts (which have remained ever since) and white socks, believing it made the club's colours more modern and distinctive, since no other major side used that combination; this kit
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