Is there any specific reason why soccer teams consist of eleven rather than ten, twelve, thirteen, etc. players?

truefaithmom

The main reasons seems to be coverage of a large field and maintaining stamina for the extended playtime. The positions are basically divided into offense and defense, with some players being utility players where needed. It can be a physically grueling game, so having zones of coverage help. "The game is played on a grassy field usually 120 yd by 75 yd (110 m by 70 m). Centered on each end line is a goal, 8 yd (7.3 m) wide by 8 ft (2.4 m) high, backed with netting. A team consists of eleven players—traditionally a goalkeeper, two fullbacks, three halfbacks, and five forwards. Recent variants on these positions include the striker, a forward who remains close to the opponents' goal, and the sweeper, a roving defender. Play is continuous through two 45-min periods, and substitutions are severely limited. Overtime is played in case of a tie, and if no further scoring occurs, the match may be resolved with a series of alternating penalty kicks." http://www.answers.com/topic/soccer Jun 08 08, 8:39 PM

JCSon

"Until the mid-1800s football rules still varied across regions. Team sizes ranged from 15 to 21. The 11-player team was standardized in 1870. The crossbar between two goal posts became mandatory in 1875. The goalkeeper was formally distinguished in the 1880s." Reference: http://www.didyouknow.cd/sport/football.htm "The 11-player team was standardized in 1870. It was probably influenced by the fact that a cricket team also has 11 players - cricket was the most popular team game in England at the time." Reference: http://en.allexperts.com/q/Professional-Soccer-European-1848/Football-history.htm It probably also had something to do with the field size. Fielding 10 players per side (excluding keeper) on a standard field optimizes coverage without over-crowding. Jun 09 08, 12:22 PM