◙ noun 1. [mass noun] a form of football played by two teams of eleven players with a round ball which may not be handled during play except by the goalkeepers. The object of the game is to score goals by kicking or heading the ball into the opponents’ goal • 足球。 亦称football [英国] 和 Association Football 2. The object of the game is to score goals, by kicking or heading the ball into the opponents' goal. The game originated in England, and is played according to rules established by the Football Association, which has organized the major English knock-out competition, the FA Cup, since 1872. The international game is administered by the International Football Federation (fifa), which is responsible for the World Cup