How Well Do You Know Football? Take This Football Quiz
Football looks simple when you are watching it from the sofa. Twenty-two players, one ball, two goals, and 90 minutes. But ask a few questions about the game's history and suddenly things get a lot harder.
Do you know which country has won the most World Cups? Can you remember how many players are on the pitch? What about the difference between a yellow and a red card, or which club won the first European Cup?
This football quiz mixes easy questions with a few that might make you stop and think. You don't need to be a football expert to enjoy it. Just trust your memory, take your best guess, and try not to search for the answers halfway through.
How to Play the Football Quiz
There are 50 multiple-choice questions in this quiz. Each question has four possible answers, but only one is correct.
Give yourself one point for every correct answer and keep track of your score as you go. Try to answer before checking the answer.
Before You Take the Football Quiz
Want to warm up first? Try this football quiz video and see how many questions you can answer before starting our 50-question challenge.
Finished the video? Now let's see how much you really know about football with our 50-question quiz.
Football Quiz: 50 Questions
1. How many players does each team have on the pitch at the start of a football match?
A) 9
B) 10
C) 11
D) 12
Answer: C) 11
2. Which country has won the men's FIFA World Cup the most times?
A) Germany
B) Brazil
C) Argentina
D) Italy
Answer: B) Brazil
3. How long is a standard football match, excluding added time and extra time?
A) 80 minutes
B) 90 minutes
C) 100 minutes
D) 120 minutes
Answer: B) 90 minutes
4. What colour card normally means a player has been sent off?
A) Blue
B) Yellow
C) Green
D) Red
Answer: D) Red
5. Which country won the 2022 FIFA World Cup?
A) France
B) Brazil
C) Argentina
D) Spain
Answer: C) Argentina
6. Which player is widely known by the nickname "The Egyptian King"?
A) Mohamed Salah
B) Karim Benzema
C) Sadio Mané
D) Riyad Mahrez
Answer: A) Mohamed Salah
7. What is awarded when the ball completely crosses the goal line between the posts and under the crossbar?
A) Corner kick
B) Goal
C) Throw-in
D) Free kick
Answer: B) Goal
8. Which country hosted the 2014 FIFA World Cup?
A) Brazil
B) Germany
C) South Africa
D) Russia
Answer: A) Brazil
9. Which player won the 2022 FIFA World Cup Golden Ball?
A) Kylian Mbappé
B) Lionel Messi
C) Luka Modrić
D) Julián Álvarez
Answer: B) Lionel Messi
10. What is the maximum number of substitutions permitted in most modern top-level matches under the current standard competition rules?
A) 3
B) 4
C) 5
D) 7
Answer: C) 5
11. Which football competition is commonly known as the Champions League?
A) UEFA Europa League
B) UEFA Champions League
C) FIFA Club World Cup
D) UEFA Nations League
Answer: B) UEFA Champions League
12. Which player is famous for the nickname "CR7"?
A) Cristiano Ronaldo
B) Ronaldo Nazário
C) Ronaldinho
D) Kaká
Answer: A) Cristiano Ronaldo
13. Which country won the first FIFA World Cup in 1930?
A) Brazil
B) Argentina
C) Uruguay
D) Italy
Answer: C) Uruguay
14. What is a hat-trick in football?
A) Three assists by one player
B) Three goals by one player in a match
C) Three saves by a goalkeeper
D) Three yellow cards in a tournament
Answer: B) Three goals by one player in a match
15. Which part of the body can an outfield player not normally use to deliberately play the ball?
A) Head
B) Chest
C) Foot
D) Hand or arm
Answer: D) Hand or arm
16. Which club plays its home matches at Camp Nou?
A) Real Madrid
B) Atlético Madrid
C) Barcelona
D) Sevilla
Answer: C) Barcelona
17. Which club plays at the Santiago Bernabéu?
A) Real Madrid
B) Valencia
C) Athletic Club
D) Villarreal
Answer: A) Real Madrid
18. What does FIFA stand for?
A) Federation of International Football Associations
B) Fédération Internationale de Football Association
C) Football International Federation Association
D) Federation of International Football Athletes
Answer: B) Fédération Internationale de Football Association
19. Which country won the 2018 FIFA World Cup?
A) Croatia
B) Germany
C) France
D) Spain
Answer: C) France
20. What is the main job of a goalkeeper?
A) Take every free kick
B) Defend the goal and prevent the opposition from scoring
C) Stay inside the centre circle
D) Take every throw-in
Answer: B) Defend the goal and prevent the opposition from scoring
21. Which country is associated with the famous footballer Pelé?
A) Brazil
B) Portugal
C) Argentina
D) Colombia
Answer: A) Brazil
22. What is given when the defending team is the last to touch the ball before it crosses its own goal line without entering the goal?
A) Throw-in
B) Goal kick
C) Penalty kick
D) Drop ball
Answer: B) Goal kick
23. Which country hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup?
A) Mexico
B) South Africa
C) Egypt
D) Morocco
Answer: B) South Africa
24. Which player is strongly associated with the nickname "La Pulga"?
A) Lionel Messi
B) Diego Maradona
C) Neymar
D) Andrés Iniesta
Answer: A) Lionel Messi
25. What is a penalty kick awarded for?
A) A foul committed by the defending team inside its own penalty area
B) Any foul in midfield
C) A missed corner
D) A goalkeeper holding the ball
Answer: A) A foul committed by the defending team inside its own penalty area
26. Which country won the 2010 FIFA World Cup?
A) Netherlands
B) Germany
C) Spain
D) Italy
Answer: C) Spain
27. Which competition is contested by Europe's national teams?
A) Copa América
B) UEFA European Championship
C) AFC Asian Cup
D) Africa Cup of Nations
Answer: B) UEFA European Championship
28. What is the nickname of the Brazilian national football team?
A) The Blues
B) The Canaries
C) The Red Devils
D) The Lions
Answer: B) The Canaries
29. Which position usually plays directly in front of the goalkeeper?
A) Defender
B) Forward
C) Winger
D) Attacking midfielder
Answer: A) Defender
30. What does a yellow card represent?
A) A goal
B) A warning for misconduct
C) A substitution
D) The end of the match
Answer: B) A warning for misconduct
31. Which country won the 2014 FIFA World Cup?
A) Germany
B) Argentina
C) Brazil
D) Spain
Answer: A) Germany
32. Which footballer was known as "The Hand of God" player because of a famous 1986 World Cup goal?
A) Pelé
B) Diego Maradona
C) Zinedine Zidane
D) Johan Cruyff
Answer: B) Diego Maradona
33. How many halves are there in a normal football match?
A) 2
B) 3
C) 4
D) 5
Answer: A) 2
34. Which club is nicknamed "The Red Devils"?
A) Liverpool
B) Manchester United
C) Arsenal
D) Chelsea
Answer: B) Manchester United
35. What is a corner kick?
A) A restart taken from a corner area of the pitch
B) A penalty taken from the centre circle
C) A throw from the corner flag
D) A free kick inside the penalty area
Answer: A) A restart taken from a corner area of the pitch
36. Which country has won the UEFA European Championship multiple times and is known for its red national team shirt?
A) Spain
B) Iceland
C) Finland
D) Wales
Answer: A) Spain
37. Which footballer is famous for winning the Ballon d'Or multiple times during the 2000s and 2010s?
A) Lionel Messi
B) Sergio Ramos
C) Xavi
D) Andrés Iniesta
Answer: A) Lionel Messi
38. What is an own goal?
A) A goal scored directly from a corner
B) A goal accidentally or deliberately scored into a team's own net
C) A goal scored during a penalty shootout
D) A goal scored by the goalkeeper
Answer: B) A goal accidentally or deliberately scored into a team's own net
39. Which club is traditionally associated with the nickname "The Reds"?
A) Liverpool
B) Everton
C) Tottenham Hotspur
D) Newcastle United
Answer: A) Liverpool
40. What is extra time normally used for?
A) To replace half-time
B) To decide a winner when a knockout match is level after normal time, when competition rules require it
C) To give teams another substitution period only
D) To replay the match
Answer: B) To decide a winner when a knockout match is level after normal time, when competition rules require it
41. Which country is home to the football club Bayern Munich?
A) Austria
B) Switzerland
C) Germany
D) Belgium
Answer: C) Germany
42. Which football competition is played between clubs from different European countries?
A) UEFA Champions League
B) Copa del Rey
C) FA Cup
D) DFB-Pokal
Answer: A) UEFA Champions League
43. What is the purpose of the offside rule?
A) To stop players from gaining an unfair attacking position
B) To prevent goalkeepers from leaving the goal
C) To limit corner kicks
D) To stop defenders passing the ball backward
Answer: A) To stop players from gaining an unfair attacking position
44. Which player is famous for the phrase "Siuuu" celebration?
A) Cristiano Ronaldo
B) Luka Modrić
C) Toni Kroos
D) Robert Lewandowski
Answer: A) Cristiano Ronaldo
45. Which country won the 2006 FIFA World Cup?
A) France
B) Italy
C) Germany
D) Brazil
Answer: B) Italy
46. What is the name of the trophy awarded to the winner of the FIFA World Cup?
A) Jules Rimet Trophy
B) FIFA World Cup Trophy
C) World Football Cup
D) Golden Globe Trophy
Answer: B) FIFA World Cup Trophy
47. Which country is Lionel Messi from?
A) Spain
B) Uruguay
C) Argentina
D) Chile
Answer: C) Argentina
48. Which player is famous for the "Panenka" penalty style?
A) Antonín Panenka
B) Franz Beckenbauer
C) Michel Platini
D) George Best
Answer: A) Antonín Panenka
49. What happens when a football match ends level in a competition that requires a winner?
A) The referee automatically wins the match
B) The match always ends as a draw
C) The competition rules may use extra time and/or a penalty shootout
D) The team with more corners automatically wins
Answer: C) The competition rules may use extra time and/or a penalty shootout
50. Which country is known for producing football legends such as Pelé, Ronaldo Nazário and Ronaldinho?
A) Brazil
B) Portugal
C) France
D) Netherlands
Answer: A) Brazil
How Did You Score?
Now comes the important part. Count up your correct answers and see where you landed.
45–50: Football expert
You clearly know your way around the beautiful game. You probably don't just watch the big matches — you remember the details too.
35–44: Serious football fan
That's a strong score. You know the players, competitions and basic history, with only a few tricky questions catching you out.
25–34: Solid effort
Not bad at all. You know plenty about football, but there are probably a few areas where you could sharpen your knowledge.
15–24: Casual fan
You know the game, but some of the history and trivia may have caught you off guard. Time for another round?
0–14: The football homework starts now
Don't worry — that's what quizzes are for. You probably learned a few new things along the way, which counts as a win.
Final Thoughts
Football has been played and watched in different forms for generations, and that history is a big part of what makes the sport so interesting. You can know the current stars and still get surprised by a question about an old World Cup or a rule you have never really thought about.
If you enjoyed this football quiz, share your score with a friend and see who knows more. And if a question caught you completely off guard, remember it — because you might see something similar in your next quiz.
Ready for another challenge? Explore more quizzes on Game Gems and put your knowledge to the test across different categories.