Football

Synonyms / Other Terms Used

Soccer, Football Field, Football Ground, Soccer Ground, Football Pitch, Football Stadium

Category

Sports, Ball Sports, Team Sports, Sporting Activities, Activities, Recreation, Tourism

Message / Function

For notice in general and to indicate the possibility of playing football (soccer)

	Source	Description
	González	Two human figures in movement plus a ball close to their legs/feet
	SSRS	Human figure in movement plus a ball close to the figure's legs/feet
*)	ON Testdesign	Side view of human figure in movement plus a ball close to the figure's legs/feet
	SIS	Side view of human figure in movement plus a ball close to the figure's legs/feet
	Bolivia	Side view of human figure in movement plus a ball close to the figure's legs/feet
	Eco-Mo Foundation	Human figure in movement plus a ball close to the figure's legs/feet
	Sagamihara	Human figure in movement plus a ball close to the figure's legs/feet
	CNIS	Front view of human figure in movement plus a ball close to the figure's legs/feet
*)	ÖNORM A 3011	Human figure in movement plus a ball close to the figure's legs/feet
	O'21	Human figure in movement plus a ball close to the figure's legs/feet
	O'88	Human figure in movement plus a ball close to the figure's legs/feet
	BS 8501:2002	Human figure in movement plus a ball close to the figure's legs/feet
	Erco	Human figure in movement plus a ball close to the figure's legs/feet
	O'64	Human figure in movement plus a ball close to the figure's legs/feet
	SVI	Football
	SN 640 827	Football
	UKDT	Football
	O'68	Football
	Klipartz	Football in front of goal
	BS 8501:2002	Human figure in movement plus a ball close to the figure's legs/feet, grandstand in top left corner
	O'24	Football, top view of details of a football pitch behind

Discussion

Among the plethora of pictograms signifying football/soccer, most show a human figure in movement plus a ball close to the figure's legs/feet. Some just show a typical football. Displaying a second player or a football plus goal seems like adding unnecessary details, as the simpler concepts already convey the message well enough.

Test results found in our database cover several image contents in use:

When Gehringer (1976) examined three variants for the referent Football in an Appropriateness Ranking Tests, a variant showing a just a football was ranked best, but the pictogram variant labeled SSRS (Swedish Standard Recreation Symbols, from Modley & Myers, Handbook of Pictorial Symbols) depicting a human figure in movement plus a ball close to the figure's legs/feet was very close.

In a follow up Comprehension Test conducted in Austria (Brugger, 1983) the two pictograms marked with *) were examined, and both variants revealed excellent comprehensibility. The pictogram variant labeled as Eco-Mo Foundation also proved to be remarkably comprehensible with a comprehension score of 92.7 in a Japanese study to propose domestically unified graphical symbols based on scientific methods (Eco-Mo Foundation, 2001). Fiori (2008) examined a map symbol similar to the pictogram from Erco, where 87.4 % of the responses were classified as correct. All these studies indicate that renderings of a human figure in movement plus a ball close to the figure's legs or feet usually result in good comprehensability concerning the message Football.

Recommendations

ÖNORM A 3011 Symbol No 91: Football (Fußball)

Based on test results available we recommend the use of an image like symbol No 91 of ÖNORM A 3011 part 4, as it is highly comprehensible and contrasts well to ball-games not intended. Showing just a typical football may work in many cases, but is inferior concerning differentiation from games like handball.

Tests of pictograms of referent Football

Brugger, Ch. (1983): Abschlußbericht über den Erkennungstest. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute (ON) dated May 1983, Vienna.

Eco-Mo Foundation (2001): Test data of public information symbols in Japan - Procedure for the testing of public information symbols by the Study Committee. ISO: ISO/TC 145/SC 1 N 329.

Fiori, S. R. (2008): Mapas para o turismo e a interatividade - proposta teórica e prática. Tese de Doutorado - Depto. de Geografia, FFLCH-USP.

Gehringer, J. (1976): Reihungstest über 18 Begriffe aus dem Sportwesen - Priorität I. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute (ON) dated January 1976, Vienna.