Street football (association football)

[1] The term encompasses a variety of different formats, which do not necessarily follow the requirements of a formal game of football, such as a large field, field markings, goal apparatus and corner flags, eleven players per team, or match officials (referee and assistant referees).

Often street football is played as a pick-up game, without fixed timing and with players joining and leaving at any point.

[2][3] Many renowned footballers stated that they learned to play football on the street, including the likes of Diego Maradona, Johan Cruyff, Pelé, Giuseppe Meazza, Éamon Dunphy, Eusebio, Dejan Savićević, and Cristiano Ronaldo, among others.

[10][11] Handwalla Bwana, describing street football in the Kakuma refugee camp said "We used to make a garbage ball.

"[14] The ease of playing these informal games on the streets and open spaces make football the most popular sport in the world.