135-810: C.N.S.C. Toronto Croatia (Croatian National Sports Club Toronto Croatia) is a Canadian soccer team based in Toronto , Ontario , that plays in the Supergroup Open Division in the Canadian Academy of Football. The team's colours are red, white and blue, similar to those of the Croatia national team . The club was founded in 1956 by the Croatian diaspora in Toronto. Initially the team played in various local amateur leagues before making
270-456: 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 is governed by FIFA . Under FIFA, there are six continental confederations: AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA . Of these confederations, CONMEBOL
405-450: 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 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
540-628: 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
675-493: 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
810-519: A NSL-title contender, Toronto Croatia began attracting talent from the SFR Yugoslavia . They also hired I. Kezman, a professional head coach from Europe. Among the influx of players were Alan Harvey , Rudolf Milicevic, Najrudin Jazic, Jerko Granic , Osvaldo Gonzales, Harry de Vlugt , Lutz Wolansky, Aleja Solak , and Marijan Bilic . Kezman resigned after a lacklustre start to the 1970 season and
945-442: 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
1080-505: 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
1215-400: 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
1350-640: 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
1485-542: A league record of six championships . The team has been among the most-successful clubs in Canadian soccer history, and one of the most-successful Croatian diaspora clubs. Toronto Croatia has a noted historical rivalry with the Serbian White Eagles . Croatian National Sports Club Toronto Croatia was formed by the Croatian diaspora in Toronto, Ontario on October 5, 1956 in order to foster closer links with
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#17327917257891620-600: A match. In response to the allegations of match fixing the CSL issued a statement stating that the league would continue to conduct the necessary steps in order to prevent any future tampering of matches. During 2013–2015 Croatia's continued to dominate the CSL, finishing in the top three each year, winning the championship in 2015 and finishing as runners up in 2014. The club returned to the Hershey Centre in 2014, due to renovations of Centennial Park Stadium in preparation for
1755-529: 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
1890-513: A mix of basketball, and volleyball. This is the earliest form of a kicking game for which there is historical evidence. The game 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
2025-680: A negative reaction from the Croatian community, which prompted team president Mario Skara to relive him of his duties. Brala's immediate replacement was former head coach Drago Santic, who had helped the team capture the Puma League title in 1996. Under the guidance of Santic the team won the Western Conference title and achieved a six-game undefeated streak. The team also finished second in the Canada Cup tournament, losing 1–0 to
2160-426: 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
2295-532: A postseason berth. In the first round of the playoffs they defeated the Brampton Hitmen 4–3 in a penalty shootout. However this result was overturned by the league after Brampton filed a protest that two suspended Croatian officials had overseen the match. At the conclusion of the season Domagoj Sain received his second Defender of the Year award. Aldo Krajcar served as head coach for the 2004 season in which
2430-416: 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
2565-636: A reserve team in the NSL. During this period the team attracted many soccer stars, such as Portuguese superstar Eusébio , and were successful enough that they won Soccer Bowl '76 – in a 3–0 victory over the Minnesota Kicks – at the Kingdome in Seattle. The squad was originally led by Ivan Marković , but after a heated confrontation with Eusébio he decided to resign. His immediate replacement
2700-528: 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
2835-424: A single-table structure. The regular season was unremarkable for Toronto Croatia as the team barely qualified for the playoffs. In the opening round of the postseason Croatia achieved an upset victory against regular-season champions York Region Shooters, winning 3–1 on goals on aggregate. However Toronto then lost 2–0 in the semifinals against Hamilton Croatia . At the conclusion of the season Tihomir Maletic won both
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#17327917257892970-432: A strong start. The team was entered as Mississauga Croatia and played its games at Centennial Park Stadium. Due to spiralling costs and poor attendance across the league, two of the teams folded and the league disbanded following a winner-takes-all final. Toronto Croatia returned to the NSL. Towards the late 1980s, many players and coaches were brought over from Croatia to help elevate the team and its youth programs. Some of
3105-564: 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
3240-432: 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
3375-451: 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 the end of the game is the winner. There are situations where a goal can be disallowed, such as an offside call or
3510-410: 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
3645-438: 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
3780-454: 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 the ball into the other team's goal (between the posts, under the bar, and fully across the goal line). When the ball
3915-405: 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
4050-816: 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
4185-506: 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
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4320-593: 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
4455-695: 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 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
4590-455: 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
4725-577: 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 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
4860-404: 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
4995-421: 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
5130-483: The 2015 Pan American Games . Toronto Croatia began reinvesting in their youth structure in 2013 by relaunching their reserve team, which secured the Second Division regular season title and were runners up in the championship. Due to this immediate success the reserve team formed an affiliation with Ferenc Puskás Football Academy , and HNK Rijeka Academy . In 2014, the club released a documentary which detailed
5265-536: The CSL Golden Boot and MVP. Veteran head coach Crljen was hired to lead the team for the 2011 season, in which the club saw a return to prominence. Toronto Croatia finished second in the regular season with the best defensive record and the second-best offensive record. At the international level they achieved their second Croatian World Club Championship. In the preliminary round of the playoffs they defeated Mississauga Eagles FC 8–1 on goals on aggregate. In
5400-527: 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
5535-580: The Croatian Supercup , and also played NK Široki Brijeg and NK Primorac Biograd . The organization retained the services of Josip Cvitanovic as club president, and Theo Krajacic as club representative. After gaining coaching experience in Croatia and Asia, former player-coach Mladen Pralija returned to manage the team. The 2006 International Division season was primarily a battle between the two former-Yugoslavian represented teams, which produced
Toronto Croatia - Misplaced Pages Continue
5670-569: The NASL was never comfortable with the Croatia link (an obvious ethnic connection). League executives lobbied CBS to ensure they were only referred to as "Toronto" in the televised coverage of Soccer Bowl. In 1978, the team was bought out, leaving the Toronto Blizzard in the NASL, while Toronto Croatia returned to the NSL. The club's successes, despite the instabilities it found in each of
5805-632: The Ontario Soccer Association and the CNSL both parties decided to reconcile their differences in 1998 by forming the new Canadian Professional Soccer League . The project was an attempt to form an exclusively Canadian league, beginning with an Ontario Division. Toronto Croatia became a founding member along with Glen Shields , London City , Mississauga Eagles , North York Astros , St. Catharines Wolves , Toronto Olympians , and York Region Shooters . In preparation for their CPSL debut
5940-534: The Ottawa Wizards . However they performed poorly in the playoffs, with a defeat to the North York Astros in the preliminary round. Toronto Croatia had the second-best defensive record in the league, with Azcurra recognized as Goalkeeper of the Year and Domagoj Sain as Defender of the Year. Toronto Croatia began the 2003 season with a devastating streak of five defeats and an early departure from
6075-606: The Yugoslav First League . Mesić played at the youth level with Dinamo Zagreb , and began his professional career in 1963 in the Yugoslav First League . He made his debut in 1964 against NK Metalac Osijek . Throughout his time with Dinamo he won the 1966–67 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup , 1964–65 Yugoslav Cup , and 1968–69 Yugoslav Cup . In 1971, he went abroad to play in the National Soccer League with Toronto Croatia . In his debut season he won
6210-688: 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 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
6345-487: The homeland by promoting organized sporting events and competitions. The original founders of the club were Kreso Mance, Franjo Jurisic, and Juraj Boljkovac who served as the club's first president. Vlado Romanov was selected as the inaugural head coach, while Mance was appointed the first team captain. The club originally competed in the Metro Toronto League, and made its debut against Belfast United. During
6480-635: 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
6615-631: The 2010 season Crljen was relieved as coach and replaced by Kreso Grnjto. The team recruited players from overseas including Ivan Žgela and Ante Zurak . Further changes saw the promotion of club secretary Pino Jazbec to the CSL Executive Committee as League Administrator. The CSL administration also restructured the league by combining both the International and National Divisions to form the CSL First Division with
6750-521: 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 is thought to have been borrowed from the slang of Rugby School . Initially spelt assoccer (a shortening of "association"), it
6885-556: The All Star team). In 1995, Toronto Croatia departed from the CNSL after a dispute with Toronto Italia over alleged debts owned to the club. As a result Toronto Croatia joined the newly formed Canadian International Soccer League, which had sponsorship from Puma . Though the Puma League was a short-lived experiment Toronto Croatia managed to win the league in two consecutive seasons. After the Puma League folded Toronto Croatia, along with Kosova Albanians and Hamilton White Eagles, rejoined
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#17327917257897020-456: The CNSL in 1997. The club continued its tradition of recruiting high-profile Croatian managers from abroad by assigning coaching duties to Zlatko Haramincic . In their return season to the CNSL they finished as runners up in the regular season, which subsequently secured the team a postseason berth. They were eliminated in the preliminary round of the playoffs after 8–1 defeat on goals on aggregate to Toronto Supra . After years of feuding between
7155-601: The Canada Cup tournament. In 1999 changes were made in Toronto Croatia's managerial department with the appointment of Bruno Pilaš as head coach. Pilaš was able to challenge the Toronto Olympians for the league championship, finishing the season as runners up with the third-highest offensive and defensive record. The club also had a solid Canada Cup tournament, losing the finals 3–0 to the Olympians. In
7290-465: The Draganic brothers producing goals for a 2–1 championship victory which denied the Olympians back-to-back trebles. Bruno Pilaš returned as head coach for the 2001 season, when the club relocated to Streetsville , Mississauga to play at Memorial Park, where Mayor Hazel McCallion performed the ceremonial kickoff. Toronto Croatia finished three points shy of a postseason berth and was unable to defend
7425-542: 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 the United States. A notable exception is New Zealand, where in the first two decades of
7560-576: 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
7695-910: 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
7830-467: 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
7965-475: 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
8100-646: The International Division which represented the various ethnic communities in the Greater Toronto Area . The launch of the division saw the return of Toronto Croatia's traditional rivals, the Serbian White Eagles , which revived their historical derby match. The club also celebrated its 50th anniversary, and went on a tour of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina where they played the Dinamo Zagreb B team at Maksimir Stadium before
8235-430: 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
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#17327917257898370-479: 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
8505-515: The Open Canada Cup with a 4–2 loss to Toronto Supra. As a result Santic was relieved from his coaching duties and Velemir Crljen returned in his previous capacity as player-coach. To improve the team's situation, Crljen used the club's overseas connections to bring in players including Josip Juric , Antonijo Zupan , Jure Pavic, Ivica Raguz, and Ante Pavlovic. These additions helped the team recover and finish third in their conference, gaining
8640-559: The Year award. Notable players brought in from abroad included Joško Gluić and Ante Ivković . Šimunić continued with the team for two more seasons, which saw Toronto Croatia win a fourth-consecutive regular-season title in 1973 and a second NSL Championship in 1974. In 1975 the club purchased the Toronto Metros of the North American Soccer League to form Toronto Metros-Croatia , while still retaining
8775-414: The Year. On September 13, 2012 CBC News released an article with wiretap evidence which revealed a bribe in the order of €15,000 ( CA$ 18,000) was paid to Antonijo Zupan , who was to share it with other players on his team. According to the report, monies were paid to fix at least one CSL match, on September 12, 2009, v Trois-Rivières Attak . Zupan denied any knowledge of receiving any money for fixing
8910-460: 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
9045-410: 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
9180-425: 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
9315-447: The best offensive and defensive records, with only one loss throughout the season. In the postseason they defeated Niagara United 2–0 and rival White Eagles 4–0. In the championship finals Croatia successfully defended their title by defeating Montreal Impact Academy 1–0 with Vucemilovic-Grgic sealing the match for Toronto. After attaining a prosperous season the league recognized Vucemilovic-Grgic as MVP and Antonio Ilic as Goalkeeper of
9450-404: 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
9585-572: 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
9720-460: The championship trophy by Croatian Football Federation president Vlatko Marković . In the regular season Croatia continued their battle with the White Eagles over the primacy of the International Division, a rivalry which helped increase attendance throughout the CSL. Though Croatia achieved an unbeaten streak with only one defeat they fell short of Serbia by four points in the division. In
9855-460: The championship. They likewise failed to advance past their group stage at the Canada Cup tournament. Though the season was an overall failure for Toronto, it was the final occasion as a member of the CPSL that the club would fail to qualify for the postseason. On a positive note George Azcurra received his second Goalkeeper of the Year award. In 2002, as a result of an increase in teams, the CPSL split
9990-403: The club began to develop into a solid team. Toronto Croatia joined the Toronto and District League in 1960, where they played for two seasons, then transitioned to the professional Canadian National Soccer League (CNSL) in 1962. After several mediocre seasons Toronto Croatia reached the championship finals in the 1966 season, finishing second to Windsor Teutonia. Having established themselves as
10125-420: The club brought in former Dinamo Zagreb manager Rudolf Belin and signed new additions due to the retirement of several key players. They made their CPSL debut on June 3, 1998 in a Canada Cup match against Glen Shields, where they were defeated 3–1 with Stephen Warren providing their only goal. The season was a setback as they finished at the bottom of the standings and failed to advance past their group stage in
10260-549: The club won another CPSL Championship. They achieved a second-place finish in the Western Conference followed by a 5–0 victory over the Windsor Border Stars in the first round of the postseason. The club was required to play a wildcard match against the Brampton Hitmen, avenging their previous playoff encounter with a score of 3–1. Croatia defeated Western Conference champions Hamilton Thunder 2–0, and in
10395-618: The club's fledgeling years the team saw little on-field success with their biggest achievement occurring in the 1959 season, when Toronto Croatia participated in the Continental Soccer League and claimed the Continental Cup after defeating Germania by a score of 2–1. In the 1960s the club received support from club president Nikola Baric, the Croatian community, and Rev. Dragutin Kamber's Croatian parishioners, and
10530-465: The coach. Prior to the 2007 season the team moved to the Hershey Centre after the league banned the use of Memorial Park. The team won the inaugural Croatian World Club Championship , a tournament for the Croatian diaspora clubs throughout the world, with a 3–1 victory over Canberra Croatia in the final. Team veteran Domagoj Sain was recognized as the tournament's MVP . The team was awarded
10665-425: 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
10800-531: The early 1970s, the team became a symbol for the Croatian diaspora community in coming together and campaigning for official recognition for the homeland. At this time, the NSL was beginning to see an elevated level of play, and the attendance at all league games was beginning to rise. Toronto Croatia consistently had the largest attendance of all teams in the league during this era (1990–1995). With numerous players brought in from Croatia including Josip Lukacevic, Ivan Simic, Goran Pavlic, Mate Stanic, Robert Rupcic and
10935-453: 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
11070-420: 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
11205-604: The finals beat the Vaughan Shooters 4–0 with Marasovic, Marko Milicevic, and Zupan scoring the goals. Crljen returned for his third term as head coach in 2005, with the team acquiring Caribbean talent Hayden Fitzwilliams , Caswain Mason , and Halburto Harris. Toronto Croatia was transferred to the Eastern Conference, over which they battled with Vaughan for supremacy, with Vaughan finishing as champions. In
11340-487: The first round of the postseason they beat Laval Dynamites with Leo Laurito scoring the winning goal. Croatia faced North York Astros in a wildcard round, where player-coach Crljen secured the match 1–0 with an overtime goal. In the second round they lost to Vaughan Shooters, 4–0, failing to defend their championship. In 2006 the CPSL re-branded itself as the Canadian Soccer League (CSL), and introduced
11475-587: The following round Croatia defeated the York Region Shooters 2–0 with goals by Josip Keran and Fitzwilliams. In the finals a goal by Fitzwilliams secured a 1–0 victory over Capital City F.C. , winning Toronto Croatia the CSL Championship. At the conclusion of the season Croatia went home with the majority of the CSL team awards, and Crljen was recognized as Coach of the Year. Maletic received his second-consecutive MVP award and Sven Arapovic
11610-420: 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
11745-528: 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
11880-531: 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
12015-695: 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
12150-425: 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
12285-495: The highest attendances throughout the league. The regular season concluded with the White Eagles claiming the division with Croatia finishing as runners up. In the postseason Croatia beat Laval 1–0 but were defeated in the semifinals 1–0 by Italia Shooters. Toronto Croatia's Azcurra was named the Goalkeeper of the Year for a fifth time, which was a league record for an individual player. 2007 season Milodrag Akmadzic Backo became
12420-404: 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
12555-672: The history of the organization. In 2016 Toronto Croatia departed from the CSL and became a founding member in the LIKA SUPERGROUP Open Division in the Canadian Academy of Futbol (CAF), an academy player developmental league. Coach was Josip Keran. Since 2017 Croatia Toronto compete in National Arena Soccer League. Both seasons they were first on the end of the season. President is Josip Pavicic, coach Milodrag Akmadzic Backo, assistant coach Zoran Marijanovic, team menager Ivan Kulis and captain
12690-687: 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
12825-759: 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
12960-590: The league with Croatia placed in the Western Conference. Zarko Brala managed the squad for the majority of the 2002 season, competing with the Mississauga Olympians for the Conference title, but was discharged on September 9. His dismissal came following the team's defeat in the annual Croatian-North American Soccer Tournament, in which he placed his son, back-up goalkeeper Anthony Brala, into the starting line-up instead of George Azcurra. This brought
13095-485: The league's second-best offensive and defensive records. Toronto Croatia won their Canada Cup tournament group and advanced to the semifinals, where they were defeated by the Olympians in a 3–2 penalty shootout. Their playoff run began with a 3–1 victory over St. Catharines, advancing to the CPSL Championship final where they again faced the Toronto Olympians. This time Croatia avenged their previous defeats with
13230-643: The leagues in which it had played, showed what a small ethnic group could accomplish in the North American sport. The 1976 team was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame as its 2010 Team of Distinction. In 1983 the club entered a new national league, the Canadian Professional Soccer League (CPSL). This league comprised six teams from across Canada (Edmonton, Montreal, etc.) and initially got off to
13365-655: The local youth system providing young talent (Joe Buntic, Frank Delisimunovic, Rob Milek, Anton Granic), the team won the NSL SuperCup and Croatian North American Soccer tournament. Following these successes were PUMA League Championship wins in 1992 and 1995. During both of those seasons, Toronto Croatia won both the League and Croatian National Tournament for North America. During the PUMA league era, Velimir Crljen, Goran Grubesic, Frank Delisimunovic and Anton Granic were voted to
13500-534: 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,
13635-411: 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. Zlatko Mesi%C4%87 Zlatko Mesić (13 April 1946 – 21 January 2020) was a Croatian footballer who had a notable tenure with Dinamo Zagreb in
13770-636: The notable players and managers arriving at that time were Drago Šantić (Sibenik), Velimir Crljen (Zadar), Dubravko Ledić (Mostar), and Mišo Smajlović . The early 1990s saw the team rise to prominence in the community once again as the Croatian War of Independence had begun in the homeland. This activity culminated in a trip to Croatia sponsored by the Croatian Ministry of Sports and Culture, featuring Toronto against Dinamo Zagreb, Hajduk Split, Osijek, Rijeka, Varazdin, and Tomislavgrad. As in
13905-426: 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,
14040-470: 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
14175-432: 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
14310-437: 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
14445-437: 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
14580-400: 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
14715-417: The postseason Toronto Croatia defeated North York Astros 4–2, and beat National Division titleholders St. Catharines Wolves 3–2 with goals by Fitzwilliams, Tihomir Maletic and an own goal by Wolves. In the CSL championship finals their rivalry with Serbia reached its climax; lacking an adequate stadium available in order to separate the fans the league was forced to change the format to a two-leg game rather than
14850-511: The preliminary round of the postseason Toronto defeated Glen Shields 5–2. In the CPSL Championship final they lost again to the Olympians, who achieved a treble that season. At the conclusion of the season George Azcurra was named the Goalkeeper of the Year. From 2000 season Velimir Crljen became head coach and Milodrag Akmadzic Backo assistant coach and player. After that in next 15 years (with small breaks) they won many trophies. It
14985-416: 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
15120-419: 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
15255-440: 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
15390-544: 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
15525-554: 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
15660-590: The standard knockout. In the two-game final Croatia defeated the White Eagles by a score of 4–1 goals on aggregate. At the CSL awards banquet team captain Sain became first player to win Defender of the Year a third time, and Maletic was voted Rookie of the Year. In 2008 Croatia went through a transitional period as many core veterans like Azcurra, Leo Marasovic, Robert Fran, Rudi Spaic, and Robert Grnja retired from competitive soccer. Former Prva HNL manager Miroslav Buljan
15795-466: The standards of a professional facility. During the regular season Toronto continued its annual rivalry with the White Eagles for the division title, where ultimately Serbia claimed the title with Croatia behind by one point. In the opening round of the playoffs they faced the Brampton Lions and won 4–1 points in aggregate, but subsequently lost in the semifinals to Serbia. Prior to the start of
15930-568: The team claimed its first treble by winning the regular season title, NSL Championship, and the Croatian-North American Soccer Tournament . At the conclusion of the season the league awarded Željko Bilecki with its Top Goaltender award. For the 1972 season Vladimir Šimunić replaced Jazbinšek and helped secure another regular-season title and the NSL Cup, while Bilecki received his second Goalkeeper of
16065-447: 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
16200-538: 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
16335-422: 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
16470-565: The transition to the professional ranks by joining the Canadian National Soccer League (CNSL) in 1962. In 1975, after a period of dominance in the CNSL, the organization purchased the Toronto Metros of the North American Soccer League and retained their heritage by inserting Croatia into the team's name. Their greatest success occurred in the 1976 season, where Toronto captured the Soccer Bowl . The 1976 team
16605-439: 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
16740-697: The year 600 during the Asuka period . It was a ceremonial rather than 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
16875-516: 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
17010-406: Was Josip Keran. SFR Yugoslavia and Croatia Albania Argentina Canada Jamaica Netherlands Poland Portugal Soccer Association football , more commonly known as football or soccer , 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
17145-492: Was cut short after losing to 2–1 to Portugal FC in the preliminary round. As the CSL received sanctioning from the Canadian Soccer Association in 2009, Toronto Croatia formed a partnership with Clarkson Sheridan Soccer Club to jointly develop youth players. Before the start of the season the club moved to Centennial Park Stadium in the Toronto district of Etobicoke , as the Hershey Centre did not meet
17280-516: Was former-player Marijan Bilić as an interim coach, and a suitable successor was found in Domagoj Kapetanović , an immigrant to Canada who had played for Dinamo Zagreb. The champions' team was: Paolo Cimpiel, Tadeusz Polak , Željko Bilecki , Ivan Lukačević , Robert Iarusci , Eusébio, Mladen Cukon , Carmen Marcantonio, Ivair Ferreira , Wolfgang Sühnholz , Damir Sutevski , Ivan Grnja , Filip Blašković and Chris Horrocks . However,
17415-617: Was given Defender of the Year. Club president Joe Pavicic received the Harry Paul Gauss award for his allegiance, commitment and support to the league and its member clubs. In 2012 Croatia produced another solid season with the club investing in foreign talent from Croatia by acquiring former 1. HNL and 2. HNL veterans like Josip Bonacin , Andelo Srzentic , Dino Buljan, and Marin Vucemilovic-Grgic. The club achieved their first regular-season title since 2002 and
17550-419: Was hired for the 2008 season and strengthened the roster with the additions of Tonći Pirija and Hugo Herrera . The league introduced the creation of a reserve division to provide a developmental platform for young players to transition to the professional ranks and Toronto Croatia added a reserve squad. Their on-field performance was mediocre as they finished third in the International Division. Their postseason
17685-553: Was later inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame . In 1979 the club sold its share to Global Television Network and returned to the CNSL. Toronto Croatia became a founding member of the Canadian International Soccer League in 1994, returned to the CNSL in 1997, and the following year became a charter member of the Canadian Professional Soccer League (later the Canadian Soccer League [CSL]). They established themselves as an elite club with
17820-595: 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 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
17955-504: 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
18090-413: Was replaced by Arthur Rodrigues and Jure Sikic. Under this management the team won the regular season title but was defeated in the championship final by Hamilton Croatia . Significant additions were brought in for the 1971 season with the arrival of former Dinamo Zagreb head coach Ivan Jazbinšek and Dinamo alumni Bruno Pilaš , Marijan Bradvic , and Zlatko Mesić . Under the leadership of Jazbinšek
18225-404: Was the most successful part of the history. Since 2006 president of the club is Josip Pavicic, also having successful entrepreneurial career. Since 2010 manager is Ivan Kulis. With home players they brought some players from Croatian first and second division. Though Toronto failed in repeating their previous season performance they achieved a postseason berth by finishing third in the standings with
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