Football (soccer) is one of the most popular sports in the world. It is played in over 200 countries by millions of people. With such a widespread following, football has also become the source of many brain teasers and riddles.
Riddles allow us to exercise our minds while having fun. They encourage us to think logically and make connections between seemingly unrelated things. For football fans, football riddles provide an entertaining way to engage their passion for the sport.
In this article, we have collected 54 football riddles of varying difficulty levels. Some may seem easy at first glance, but don’t be fooled – they may require some creative thinking. Others are designed to really puzzle the mind. See how many you can get right without peeking at the answers!
Football Riddles
Here are 54 football riddles to test your knowledge of the beautiful game:
Easy Football Riddles
1. I’m awarded when the whole ball crosses the goal line. What am I?
Answer: A goal.
2. I’m given when a foul is committed. What am I?
Answer: A free kick.
3. I’m shown when a serious offence occurs. What am I?
Answer: A red card.
4. I’m blown when the game needs to be stopped. What am I?
Answer: A referee’s whistle.
5. I’m where 22 players chase after me. What am I?
Answer: The ball.
6. I’m the person who keeps watch over the game. Who am I?
Answer: The referee.
7. I’m granted when an attacking player is fouled in the penalty area. What am I?
Answer: A penalty.
8. I’m done to restart play after the ball goes out of bounds. What am I?
Answer: A throw-in.
9. I’m awarded when the ball crosses the goal line but no goal is scored. What am I?
Answer: A goal kick.
10. I’m where the goalkeeper defends his goal. Where am I?
Answer: In the penalty area.
11. I’m the spot 12 yards from goal where penalties are taken. What am I?
Answer: The penalty spot.
12. I’m the imaginary line running across the middle of the pitch. What am I?
Answer: The halfway line.
Medium Football Riddles
13. I happen when the score is tied at the end of regulation time. What am I?
Answer: Extra time.
14. I’m awarded when a substitution is made. What am I?
Answer: A substitution.
15. I’m what protects the legs of the goalkeeper. What am I?
Answer: Goalkeeper gloves.
16. I’m the crime of deliberately handling the ball. What am I?
Answer: Handball.
17. I’m the protective equipment worn by players. What am I?
Answer: Shinguards.
18. I’m what decides which team starts with the ball. What am I?
Answer: A coin toss.
19. I’m the outer boundary of the playing field. What am I?
Answer: The touchline.
20. I’m done to protest a referee’s decision. What am I?
Answer: A dive.
21. I’m awarded when the ball is kicked deliberately over the goal line by the defenders. What am I?
Answer: A corner kick.
22. I’m what players wear to identify their team. What am I?
Answer: Team uniform/jersey.
23. I’m the padded gloves worn by the goalkeeper. What am I?
Answer: Goalkeeper gloves.
24. I’m awarded when the ball leaves the field across the goal line. What am I?
Answer: A goal kick or corner kick.
Hard Football Riddles
25. I’m awarded when a player is fouled outside the opponents’ penalty area. What am I?
Answer: An indirect free kick.
26. I’m what fans do to show support for their team. What am I?
Answer: The Mexican wave.
27. I’m the illegal use of hands or arms to direct the ball. What am I?
Answer: Handball.
28. I’m the flexible tape worn by players to identify them as captain. What am I?
Answer: Captain’s armband.
29. I’m awarded when the ball is deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper by a teammate. What am I?
Answer: An indirect free kick.
30. I’m what protects the shins of players. What am I?
Answer: Shin guards.
31. I’m the crime of impeding an opponent who does not have the ball. What am I?
Answer: Obstruction.
32. I’m awarded when the ball leaves the field across the goal line last touched by an attacking player. What am I?
Answer: A goal kick.
33. I’m the area at each end of the field where the goalposts stand. What am I?
Answer: The penalty area.
34. I’m the communication devices worn by the referee. What am I?
Answer: Headset.
35. I’m awarded when the ball leaves the field across the touchline. What am I?
Answer: A throw-in.
36. I’m the outer boundary along each goal line. What am I?
Answer: The goal line.
37. I’m what is used to determine which team starts where for a penalty shootout. What am I?
Answer: A coin toss.
38. I’m the crime of moving or standing in a position to obstruct an opponent’s movement. What am I?
Answer: Obstruction.
39. I’m awarded when the ball leaves the field across the goal line last touched by a defender. What am I?
Answer: A corner kick.
40. I’m the 10 yard gap that defenders must give on free kicks. What am I?
Answer: The wall.
Super Hard Football Riddles
41. I’m awarded when an attacking player is fouled inside the penalty area. What am I?
Answer: A penalty kick.
42. I’m the amount of time played in a football match. What am I?
Answer: 90 minutes.
43. I’m when an attacking player shoots but misses the goal. What am I?
Answer: A miss.
44. I’m the crime of pushing, charging or tackling an opponent in a careless or reckless manner. What am I?
Answer: Charging.
45. I’m what players wear on their feet. What am I?
Answer: Football boots/cleats.
46. I’m the protective gear worn on the head by some goalkeepers. What am I?
Answer: A goalkeeper’s helmet.
47. I’m what players wear to keep track of performance data. What am I?
Answer: A fitness tracker.
48. I’m the tactic of having a defender mark a key opposing player throughout the game. What am I?
Answer: Man-to-man marking.
49. I’m awarded to the team with the most points at the end of a season. What am I?
Answer: The league trophy.
50. I’m the imaginary line running the width of the field halfway between the goals. What am I?
Answer: The halfway line.
51. I’m what players wear on the shins for protection. What am I?
Answer: Shin guards.
52. I’m the gear worn by the goalkeeper to protect the body. What am I?
Answer: Goalkeeper shirt and pants.
53. I’m what players wear underneath their jersey for warmth. What am I?
Answer: Under armor/base layer.
54. I’m the orange dressed officials that run the lines. What am I?
Answer: Assistant referees.
Conclusion
How did you enjoy those football riddles? Did you manage to solve them all? Some probably took a bit more soccer knowledge than others.
Riddles provide a fun way to engage our thinking in new ways. They encourage us to draw connections between seemingly disjointed concepts. For football fans, riddles offer an entertaining brain teaser to test their knowledge of the sport.
In creating tricky riddles, the goal is not to be overly confusing but rather challenge people to think creatively. Riddles should provide just enough clues to lead readers towards the right answer without giving everything away. The most clever riddles set light bulbs off in people’s minds once the solution is revealed.
Hopefully, these football riddles sparked some curiosity and laughter. There are so many more that can continue to stump even the cleverest of fans. Next time you are looking for a fun mental challenge, try your hand at more football brain teasers.
