Soccer, or football as it is called across the world, is undoubtedly the most popular team sport in the world, and its players often have massive fan bases. Soccer is not a very fast game, and it's hard to score goals and win matches if you are over 36. Most players begin their professional career at age 18, when they can sign a professional contract with a club. Usually, these contracts last for four years, but some clubs may choose to extend them up to seven years. After four years, a player has the opportunity to extend his contract for another year. If he does not do so, then he will be free to look for new opportunities. The majority of professional players come from South America, especially Brazil, because of the huge demand for soccer there. However, Europe is growing faster than Brazil, and many young players there are looking for good jobs in order to support their families while they pursue their dreams of becoming champions on the soccer field. Players usually make a lot of money by signing contracts with clubs, but they don't always get all that they expect. Sometimes, a club may lose money when they hire a player because they can't afford to pay him enough to keep him happy while they try to find ways to bring him down in price.