There are many strange terms that you hear when you first start playing soccer. Soccer terminology can be confusing when you get involved. The following terms might not seem to relate to sports but seem to be very important in the sport. The word cap or phrases such as word. For example, you might have been hearing things like- player x has multiple caps by the players, fans, or spectators.
Those who are not familiar with soccer do not understand what it means. They may be unable to comprehend what is going on with their favorite sports. That is why in this article we are going to explain everything about Soccer caps.
What Is a Cap in Soccer?
In the early days of football, some teams wore caps to help distinguish their players from one another because there were no watching uniforms. Later, on this practice led to uniforms and the cap evolved the meaning of it in terms of soccer. Now, the footballer’s cap is a metaphoric designation for his or her appearance for their country in an international match. Originating in England, this term refers to the physical caps players were awarded after participating in an international match.
As a measure of a player’s international experience for his/her international team, the term cap is often used in soccer. The term is still used although players no longer receive physical caps. A player receives a cap for every match he or she plays in an international contest. This would be like a player playing 15 international matches earning 15 caps, whereas a player playing 100 matches earning 100 caps.
How Do You Earn a Cap in Soccer?
For players to get the cap, all they have to do is be the best player among the 11 best players in their national pool, catch the attention of the national team, keep good form, remain injury-free, and perform well in their national team camp. If a player has caught their attention, he/she will need to continue impressing them and be called to training camps for various youth national teams. He/she will be called up to the senior national team camp if that player continues to grow and mature in certain abilities.
A player is given the position and must prove in practice that he is the best player in that position and has earned a starting spot. A player can earn a cap after he or she makes it into the starting squad and plays in at least one game.
Every time a soccer player represents their country internationally, they earn a “cap.” An individual who has played for their country 50 times has 50 caps. A player’s ability can be gauged by the number of caps he or she has for his country. Soccer’s world governing body, FIFA, only awards caps to players who play in selected matches internationally. They are referred to as International “A” games.
The games a player can earn a cap on are:
- FIFA World Cup
- Qualifying competitions for a World Cup
- Finals and qualifying matches for the Olympics
- National teams’ friendly matches between seniors
- Continental competitions and their qualifying games
Fifa made an update in their proposal and the proposal aims to help players who as children moved with their families to a new country for reasons that were not soccer-related. To play for FIFA’s teams, players must live in a country for a certain amount of time. For players under the age of 10, three years of residency would be required, and for players aged 10 to 18, five years. FIFA’s existing rule requires a player to acquire new national eligibility after five years of residency from the age of 18.
Read Also: Holding Midfielder vs Defensive Midfielder in Soccer
Can You Earn Caps for Multiple Countries?
It is technically possible to earn caps for more than one or multiple countries. Obtaining a cap may appear simple at first, but when you start considering players who can play for multiple countries, it can become a bit complicated. It can be possible that a player has 5 “caps” or has been “capped” 5 times. This means that they have played the sport internationally 5 times.
However, it was not always possible to do this. Soccer’s governing body, FIFA, includes specifics regarding eligibility in their rules of the game. Section 5.2 of the FIFA Federation Regulations states that it is prohibited for a player to participate in international matches for a national team of another country if they have already played for that country in an international match.
Later, FIFA became the first sports organization to introduce a way for players to play for another country after the world changed. In order to accommodate players who had represented a country such as the USSR, but wanted to play for the nation of their heritage after it had disbanded, FIFA had to devise a contingency.
Another common scenario is someone who was born in one country but now primarily resides in another. With the emergence of dual nationals, who can qualify for multiple national teams based on their ancestry, this phenomenon has grown in recent years. Young starlet Yunus Musah is one example of this. Once a player has applied for a one-time switch, they may not switch again for any reason.
Who has the most caps in soccer?
Soh Chin Ann has the most caps in soccer. According to FIFA documents and RSSSF statistics, 576 footballers have played 100 or more international matches for their respective countries as of 13 November 2021. It has been announced that Soh Chin Ann of Malaysia holds the record for men’s appearances with 195 caps.
Who has the most caps in women’s soccer?
Kristine Lilly has the most caps in women’s soccer. There are 359 female athletes who have played at least 100 international games as of 6 August 2021. She won 354 caps before leaving soccer. Having scored 130 goals for his country, Lilly ranks as the fourth-most prolific scorer in the history of international football.
At present, Carli Lloyd has 316 caps as the most capped female international soccer player. It has been 187 goals scored by Christine Sinclair of Canada in women’s international football.
Does a friendly match count as a cap?
Non-competitive/exhibition games are known as friendlies. In addition to raising money for charity, the tournament is designed to increase fitness, integrate new players, and tour the world. As soon as a soccer season ends, most soccer fans are anticipating the next season and possibly some new faces.
It does not count as a cap to play in a friendly soccer match. An individual who represents one nation in a friendly match is not considered cap-tied, and they are free to represent another nation in a competitive match next time the opportunity arises. The player performing in a friendly match for one nation is not considered cap-tied and may play for a different nation in a friendly match. Friendly matches rarely count for anything in soccer. They are not part of official competitions. As for friendly games, they can contribute to a national team’s international standing. Preseason-friendly games, on the other hand, can count toward a preseason tournament.
Do soccer players actually get caps?
There was a time when players actually used to receive real caps in soccer. Nowadays, giving players their own caps is rumored to be less popular than it used to be. A decorated cap may be given to an international player if they reach an important milestone such as 50 or 100 international appearances. Apart from that, national sides rarely provide their players with a cap.
Nevertheless, when it comes to soccer, there are no fixed rules as to whether or not caps should be given out when a game is played, it is normally up to the national soccer associations. The player might be given a commemorative cap for playing in his or her first-ever international match. It varies from country to country whether caps are given. With the exception of playing in a tournament where players receive a commemorative cap for the entire tournament, the England national team still provides its players who appear in matches with caps.
What is Cap Tied?
A footballer that represents more than one football-affiliated national team will be considered cap-tied, meaning he or she is ineligible to represent another FIFA-affiliated team. The players who have been cap-tied can only represent their countries. The rule took effect in 2004.
Prior to the implementation of the cap-tied rule by FIFA, players could represent an unlimited number of national teams. Different citizenship laws across countries meant that players could essentially represent any country as long as they had documentation proving their citizenship.
The reason why a player is cap-tied may be for several reasons. The dual nationality rule, for example, means that dual nationality players are eligible to participate in both national teams. It is FIFA’s policy instead to let players choose which national team they will represent permanently. A player cannot play for more than one national team.
As a result, players who have played for a national team in a FIFA competition are no longer eligible for representation by another team irrespective of their new national affiliations or level of playing.
Final Thoughts
So, that was all about Soccer caps. Hope now you have a better understanding of soccer and its terms. If you are new to soccer, the concept of international caps may seem a little bizarre. However, once you realize the significance and excitement that comes with playing in an international match, you will truly realize how extraordinary it is.
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