Football Vocabulary PDF

General Terms of Football Vocabulary From thrilling counterattacks to crucial penalties, understanding the lexicon of the football adds depth to our enjoyment of every match. Counterattack: Swiftly transitioning from defense to offense in response to the opposing team's attack. Extra time: Addition...

General Terms of Football Vocabulary From thrilling counterattacks to crucial penalties, understanding the lexicon of the football adds depth to our enjoyment of every match. Counterattack: Swiftly transitioning from defense to offense in response to the opposing team's attack. Extra time: Additional playing time allocated when a match ends in a draw after regulation time. Goal: The objective of football, where players attempt to score by kicking the ball into the opposing team's net. Half-time: The break in the middle of the match when players rest, and the teams switch ends. Match: A scheduled game between two teams. Offside: When an attacking player is nearer to the opponent's goal line than both the ball and the last defender. Penalty: A direct free kick taken from the penalty spot as a result of a foul committed inside the penalty area. Pitch: The playing area, typically a rectangular field, where the game occurs. Referee: The official who enforces the game's rules and ensures fair play. This collection of football terms opens the door to a world of excitement and camaraderie. Who are People on the Field Now it is vital to learn football positions, where players take on unique roles to contribute to the beautiful game. Attacking Midfielder: Attacking midfielders play just behind the strikers and are responsible for creating goal-scoring opportunities. Captain: The team's designated leader, often responsible for making decisions on the field and representing the team. Center-back/Central Defender: The center-backs, also known as central defenders, are positioned in the heart of the defense. They form the backbone of the defensive line and are responsible for marking opposing strikers, intercepting passes, and clearing the ball. Central Midfielder: Central midfielders operate in the middle of the field and control the game's tempo, distribute passes, and link defense with attack. Defender: Defenders form the line of defense for the team, aiming to prevent the opposing team from scoring. They are typically positioned in front of the goalkeeper and work together to deny the opposition's attacks. Defensive Midfielder/Holding Midfielder: Defensive midfielders, also known as holding midfielders or defensive midfield anchors, sit in front of the defense and shield the backline. Full-back: Full-backs are positioned on the left and right sides of the defense. They provide defensive cover and support to the central defenders and contribute to the team's attack by delivering crosses into the opposition's penalty area. Goalkeeper: The goalkeeper is the last line of defense, stationed directly in front of the goal. Their primary role is to prevent the opposing team from scoring by blocking shots, making saves, and commanding the defense. Linesman: An official who assists the referee by indicating offside decisions, throw-ins, and other technicalities along the touchlines. Manager: The head coach who strategizes, selects the lineup, and guides the team's tactics and performance. Striker/Forward: The striker, also known as a forward, is a person positioned closest to the opponent's goal. Their main objective is to receive passes from teammates and shoot accurately to score. Substitute: A player on the bench who replaces an injured or underperforming teammate during the match. Wing-back: Wing-backs are a hybrid position between full-backs and midfielders. They are deployed in systems that require extra defensive cover and attacking width. Wing-backs play wider than traditional full-backs and often contribute to both defensive and offensive phases. From the tactical decisions of the manager to the game-changing substitutions, every position plays a vital part in shaping the outcome of a thrilling football encounter. Learn new words easily Want to improve your vocabulary? We have an app! Check it out Parts of a Football Pitch From the central hub of the center circle to the dramatic possibilities of the penalty spot, each element of the playing field contributes to the excitement and drama of the game. Center Circle: A circular area in the middle of the field from which the initial kick-off occurs. Corner Arc: The curved line marking the area from which corner kicks are taken. Bench: The seating area where substitutes and coaching staff sit during a match, ready to enter the field when needed. Centre spot: The central point on the pitch where the game begins with a kick-off and restarts after a goal. Corner: The intersection of the goal line and touchline where corner kicks are taken to initiate an attacking play. Crossbar: The horizontal bar that connects the two vertical goal posts, forming the top boundary of the goal. Goal post: The two vertical posts positioned at each end of the goal line, defining the target for scoring goals. Goal Line: The line that extends between the goalposts, marking the width of the goal. Net: The mesh structure attached to the goal posts and crossbar, preventing the ball from easily passing through after a goal. Penalty spot: The designated spot from which penalty kicks are taken, located 12 yards from the goal line. Penalty Area: The rectangular area in front of each goal post, where the goalkeeper has special privileges. Touchline: The boundary line that runs along the field's length, marking the outermost edge of the playing area. The pitch is not just a canvas for the action but an integral part of the football experience, where the drama unfolds, and dreams are realized. Verbs Used During a Football Match Learn the vocabulary of football actions and explore the artistry and strategy behind these fundamental moves. Clear: To kick or head the ball away from one's goal, typically to prevent the opposing team from scoring. Cross: To kick the ball from the sides of the pitch into the middle, aiming to set up a goal-scoring opportunity. Dribble: To skillfully maneuver the ball while maintaining control, typically by closely controlling it with one's feet. Foul: A violation of the rules resulting in a free kick or penalty for the opposing team. Head: To strike the ball with the forehead, often used for headers. Mark: To closely guard an opponent, preventing them from receiving the ball or making effective passes. Pass: To kick or otherwise direct the ball to a teammate. Shoot: To attempt to score a goal by striking the ball with force. Tackle: The act of legally attempting to take the ball away from an opponent using skillful footwork. A perfectly timed tackle can change the course of a match. This vocabulary will help you to understand the commentator’s speech during the football match. Football Equipment From the stylish jerseys that represent team unity to the essential protection of shin guards, each piece plays a vital role in enhancing performance and ensuring player safety on the pitch. Ankle Brace: A supportive device worn around the ankle to provide stability and prevent injuries during intense movements. Arm Sleeve: A compression sleeve worn on the arm to provide support, warmth, and reduce muscle fatigue during play. Captain's Armband: A band worn around the upper arm by the team captain to signify their leadership role. Cleats: Specialized shoes with studs or spikes on the sole for better traction on the field. Goalkeeper Gloves: Padded gloves worn by the goalkeeper to improve grip and protect the hands while making saves. Headband: A band worn around the head to keep hair away from the face and absorb sweat during the match. Jersey: The shirt worn by players to identify their team. Mouthguard: A protective device worn over the teeth and jaws to absorb impact and reduce the risk of dental and jaw injuries. Shin guards: Protective gear worn on the lower legs to safeguard against kicks and impacts. Shorts: Short pants players wear for better freedom of movement during the game. Socks: Garments worn on the feet, typically extending up to the knee, to cover and protect the legs. Studs: The protrusions on the sole of football boots that provide traction and stability on the pitch's surface. Football equipment is more than just gear; it's a blend of functionality and style that elevates the game to new heights. These terms will help you to understand what football players wear to play the game. Football Vocabulary List word example sentence meaning assistant referee Assistant referees used to be called 'linesmen', but the term was changed in 1996. official who runs one of two touchlines and advises the referee, esp. on offside decisions corner kick The referee awarded a corner kick after the goalkeeper tipped the ball over the bar. a free kick taken from one of the corners of the pitch defender Defenders include left backs, right backs and central defenders. a player whose main role is to prevent the opposition from scoring dive Many people see diving as a form of cheating and think players who dive should be sent off. to deliberately fall over when tackled in order to deceive the referee into awarding a free kick draw The game ended in a draw, with each team having scored two goals. finish a game with an even score; tie extra time We won the game by scoring the only goal in extra time. two periods of 15 minutes each played when a game ends in a draw after normal time foul The referee blew his whistle and gave a penalty kick for a foul in the penalty area. an illegal action punishable by a free kick goal Manchester United beat Chelsea by three goals to one. an instance of kicking or heading the ball into the goal goalkeeper The goalkeeper tried to stop the penalty kick by diving to his left, but the penalty taker kicked the ball past him and scored. player whose role is to stop the ball from entering the goal, and the only player who can handle the ball in general play goal line The referee thought a defender was the last player to touch the ball before it went over the goal line, and awarded a corner kick. the two shorter boundaries, one at each end of the pitch, on which the goals are placed handball The ball hit Mark on the arm and the referee awarded a free kick to his opponents for handball. a foul committed by touching the ball with a hand or an arm league The Spanish Football League, known as 'La Liga', includes famous clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona. a group of sports clubs that play each other over a period for a championship e.g. English Premiership League offside The assistant referee raised his flag to indicate to the referee that one of the forward players was in an offside position. law requiring at least two defenders to be between an attacker and the goal line when the ball is passed to the attacker pass David saw a teammate and passed the ball to him. to kick or head the ball to another player on one's own team. penaltyOur defender tackled their striker in the penalty box, but the referee thought it was a foul and gave them a penalty. a free kick from the penalty spot; see also penalty kick penalty area The tackle was just outside the penalty area, but the referee thought it was inside the area and gave them a penalty. area near each goal in which the goalkeeper may handle the ball, and a foul is punished by a penalty kick (also; penalty box) penalty kick Their best striker took the penalty kick, but our goalkeeper blocked his shot and they didn't score the goal. a direct free kick taken from the penalty spot, awarded for a foul committed in the penalty area penalty shootout Our team won the penalty shootout by four goals to three, and we were the new champions. a best-of-five penalty kick contest held to find a winner when a game is still tied after extra time penalty spot I felt very nervous as I put the ball on the penalty spot and stepped back to take the kick. a white mark in the penalty area from which penalty kicks are taken pitch It had rained all morning, so the pitch was soft and muddy and difficult to run on. the playing field professional David Beckham became a professional player at 17 when he signed a contract with Manchester United. doing something, like playing sport or music, as a career or occupation red card The referee had already given Lee a yellow card, so when he committed another foul he was given a red card and sent off. the most severe punishment given by a referee, in which the player is sent off the pitch shoot Ronaldo took the free kick and scored a great goal by shooting over the wall. to try to score a goal striker We're not scoring enough goals, so our manager wants to get a new striker. a player whose role is to score goals substitute They were losing by a goal with ten minutes to go, so the manager decided to substitute one of his defenders with a forward. to replace one player with another player; also a player used to replace another tackle One of the defenders tackled David and kicked the ball out of play. to challenge a player for the ball tactical They were losing, so the manager made tactical substitutions and replaced two defenders with more attacking players. relating to a carefully planned strategy to win throw in After Joe kicked the ball out, one of the other team's players threw it in with a long throw into the penalty box. to put the ball back into play after it has crossed the touchline by throwing it, usually to a teammate touchline The manager stood on the touchline shouting instructions to his players. the two long boundaries along each side of the pitch; also sideline wall The defenders formed a wall to block the free kick, and the referee pushed them back ten metres. a line of players forming a barrier to block a free kick taken near the penalty area yellow card If Jose gets another yellow card, he'll miss the next match. a warning issued to a player for a serious foul, two of which result in a red card and sending off Player Positions and Officials soccer-players-and-referee 1. Assistant referee (noun) This is the person who runs up and down the football pitch (field). Their job is to tell the referee if the ball goes out. They’re also important when it comes to helping with offside decisions. In the past, this person’s job was called a ‘linesman.’ The assistant referee held up his flag to show the referee that the ball was still in play. 2. Attacker (noun) The role of an attacker on a team is to score goals. Another word for an attacker is a forward. Lionel Messi, who plays for Barcelona, is one of the world’s best attackers. He has great skill and can move quickly towards the goal. 3. Commentator (noun) The person who reports every move of the game while it’s happening. If you’re a soccer/football fan, you’ve probably heard many commentators on TV or the radio. John Motson is one of the most famous British football commentators. 4. Defender (noun) A player who tries to stop the other team from scoring a goal. England always does well in the World Cup matches because of their strong defenders. 5. Goalkeeper / Goalie (noun) The player who stands between the goalposts and tries to stop the ball from entering the goal. The goalkeeper for France dived to the ground and blocked Ronaldo’s shot. 6. Midfielder (noun) A player who usually stays in the middle of the field. Mesut Ozil is one of the best midfielders in the world. 7. Referee (noun) The primary official responsible for enforcing the rules and ensuring fair play during a match. The referee issued a yellow card to the defender for a late tackle, cautioning them against further rough play. 8. Skipper (noun/verb) The captain of the team. As a verb, to serve as the team captain. This term is used in British English. John Terry was chosen to skipper the English side for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. 9. Striker (noun) A player who shoots the goals. Lionel Messi is one of the best strikers in the world. He has scored the most goals ever for Barcelona. 10. Substitute (sub) (verb/noun) To take one player off the field and replace them with another player. As a noun, it means the player who goes into the game to replace another player who comes out. When Sir Alex Ferguson saw that his players were getting tired, he always substituted them. The Rules of the Game red-card-during-soccer-game 11. Advantage (noun) The referee doesn’t always blow his whistle to stop the game when a foul has been committed. It may be unfair to the innocent team, so he lets the game continue. The ref held up his hand to call advantage. 12. Booking (noun) To be given a yellow card to show a serious foul. After two bookings for fighting with the other team, Jonathan was sent off. Referee-flipping-a-coin 13. Coin toss (noun) At the beginning of the match, the referee flips a coin to see which team has first possession of the ball. The team captain (usually of the away team) chooses heads or tails while the coin is in the air. Jack’s team won the coin toss. 14. Corner kick (noun) This is a free kick from any of the four corners of the pitch. It’s awarded to the attacking team when the defensive team’s player last touched the ball before it went out of bounds over the goal line without entering the goal. It’s sometimes just called a “corner.” When the goalkeeper touched the ball, the referee awarded the other team a corner kick. 15. Dead ball (noun) This is when the game is stopped and the ball isn’t moving. All free kicks and penalty kicks must be taken from a dead ball. When the ball was dead, Luis ran up to the ball and booted it. 16. Extra time (noun) An important game is made longer (extra time is added) when it finishes in a draw/tie. This is also called overtime. They were lucky the game went into extra time because they ended up winning. 17. Foul (noun) When a player does an illegal action such as touching the ball with their hands. They’re punished and the other team is awarded a free kick. When one player pushed a player from the opposite team, the referee blew his whistle. He then gave the other team a free kick for the foul. 18. Full-time (noun) When the final whistle is blown and the game is over. The referee blew his whistle three times to tell everyone it was full-time. 19. Half-time (noun) The short break after the first half of the game is played and before the second half starts. The players and the coach discussed their strategy during half-time. 20. Handball (noun) This is a kind of foul when a player deliberately touches the ball with his hand or arm. It’s always controversial when the referee calls a handball because players can say the ball touched them by accident. 21. Injury time (noun) Extra time added to the game at the end of half-time or full-time if there have been any injuries during the game. Because Barcelona had two injured players, the game went into injury time at the end. 22. Kickoff (verb/noun) When the game begins. Do you have any idea what time kickoff is? 23. Offside (adjective/noun) A rule that states that when the ball is passed, there must be at least two defenders between the attacker from the other team and the goal line. If not, it’s considered offside and the player is punished. The fans in the stadium shouted angrily when the referee blew his whistle to say that Messi was offside; he had been very close to scoring a goal. 24. Penalty kick (noun) A direct free kick awarded to the attacking team when a defensive player commits a foul inside their own penalty area. Bale tackled another player illegally in the penalty area. As a result, the other team was given a penalty kick. 25. Penalty shootout (noun) If the game is still drawn (equal points) after extra time, there’s a best-out-of-five penalty kick competition. The team with the most goals wins the game. The fans went silent as they nervously watched the penalty shootout between the two teams. 26. Red card (noun) A punishment given by the referee. If a player does something bad, they’re given a red card and sent off the field. He was handed a red card for starting a fight with the other team and as a result, their team lost. 27. Spot kick (noun) Another word for a penalty because the ball is placed in a certain spot (place). Beckham placed the ball down in preparation for his spot kick. 28. Yellow card (noun) The first warning that’s given to a player when they do something seriously wrong before receiving a red card. Bale needs to be more careful when playing because he’s already been given one yellow card. Actions During Gameplay soccer-player-kicking-ball 29. Bicycle kick (noun) When the player kicks the ball backward over his own head. Ronaldo is famous for his bicycle kick. When he does it, the fans go crazy. 30. Boot (verb) To kick. Torres booted the ball across the pitch to his teammate. 31. Header (noun) To hit the ball with one’s head instead of their foot. Ronaldo’s teammate passed the ball high to him. He jumped up and managed to score a goal with a header. 32. Mark (verb) To mark a player means to guard them (play defense) to try and stop them from receiving the ball from their teammate. The manager shouted out to his players to mark the opposition. 33. Pass (verb/noun) To kick the ball to another player on your team. Frank Lampard passed the ball to Beckham. Beckham kicked the ball and scored! 34. Pep talk (noun) A short talk of encouragement from the coach or manager. The players sat and listened to their coach give them a pep talk in the changing rooms. 35. Scissor kick (noun/verb) When a player kicks his legs like a pair of scissors and passes the ball sideways. Ryan Giggs scissor-kicked the ball skillfully to his teammate. 36. Shoot (verb) To try and score a goal by kicking. Ronaldo shot the ball right into the back of the net to score the winning goal. 37. Tackle (verb) To try and take the ball from the opposite team using your feet. When Mike tried to tackle the other player, he pushed him and he was given a yellow card and a warning. 38. Throw in (verb/noun) When the ball goes out of bounds, a player takes the ball and throws it over his head to his teammates from outside. Jake stood on the line and quickly threw the ball in to his teammate. 39. Wall (noun) When the players of one team make a human wall by standing in a horizontal line to try and block a free kick. The players made a wall as Lionel Messi went to shoot. Parts of the Stadium soccer-stadium 40. Bench (noun) Where the substitute players sit. The phrase “on the bench” or “benched” means the player is not playing in the game. Jack’s coach decided to keep him on the bench for being late to training. 41. Box (noun) The penalty area around the goal. The opposition formed a line in the box to try and block Messi from scoring. parts-of-a-soccerfield 42. Field / Pitch (noun) The area where the game is played. “Field” is used in American English while “pitch” is used in British English. Because it had been raining for a couple of days, the field was muddy and difficult to play on. 43. Goalposts (noun) The two vertical posts that make up the sides of the goal where the ball must travel through in order to score. The striker’s powerful shot bounced off the goalpost, narrowly missing a goal. 44. Locker room (noun) The area where teams meet and change into their football uniforms. Locker rooms usually have showers, bathrooms and lockers where the players can store their belongings. The players sat in the locker room while they listened to their coach speak. 45. Net (noun) The net is attached to the goalposts and crossbar and is made of mesh material or netting. It stops the ball when a goal has been scored. The striker kicked the ball into the net, scoring a crucial goal for his team. 46. Scoreboard (noun) The board where the score (how many points each team has) and time left in the game is shown. The time on the scoreboard shows there are only five minutes left of the game. 47. Spectator (noun) A person who watches a game. There weren’t many spectators at the game because of the rain. 48. Stands (noun) Where the fans sit in the stadium. These are also called bleachers. There was a lot of excitement in the stands as the fans cheered for their teams. 49. Touchline (noun) The longest sides of the pitch. These are also known as sidelines. The manager and coach stood on the touchline shouting out instructions to their team. Scoring Vocabulary soccer-scoreboard 50. Concede (verb) When the goalkeeper allows a goal to be scored. England’s goalkeeper was criticized for the number of goals he conceded. 51. Defeat (noun) To suffer a defeat means to lose the match/game. It was evident that everyone was upset when Atletico Madrid suffered defeat. 52. Draw / Tie (verb/noun) When the final score is the same (e.g. 1-1). The game ended in a draw, and the final score was 2-2. 53. Equalizer (noun) When one player scores a goal and the score becomes equal (the same). In the last minute, Marcello was able to run past the defense and score an equalizer. The final score of the game was 1-1. 54. Goal difference (noun) The difference in points/goals between the two teams. For example, team A scored 3 goals and team B scored 1 goal so the goal difference is 2. Because all of the teams in the Premier League are really strong, the goal difference is usually small. 55. Knock out (phrasal verb) If one team knocks out another team, they beat them. After this, the losing team can no longer play in the tournament. In the last World Cup, New Zealand was knocked out of the competition by Mexico. 56. The lead (noun) If a team has the lead, then they’re winning at the moment. At the end of the first half Real Madrid were in the lead, but Chelsea won in the end. 57. Own goal (noun) When one player accidentally kicks the ball into their own goal. The fans booed when John scored an own goal. 58. Score (noun) The recorded number of goals that shows who’s winning the match. I think the final score between Barcelona and Real Madrid will be 2-0. 59. Win (verb) If a team wins the match, it means that they’ve scored more goals than the other team. I think that Brazil has the strongest football team in the world and they have a good chance of winning the 2014 World Cup. Soccer/Football Equipment soccer-football-uniform-gear 60. Cleats (noun) Soccer cleats are special shoes with small spikes called studs (sharp things that stick out of the shoe) to help the players not slip. In British English, they’re called football boots. The player wore cleats with molded studs to get better traction and grip on the field during the match. 61. Gloves (noun) The goalkeeper wears special gloves on their hands to catch the ball. The goalkeeper wore padded gloves to protect their hands and improve their grip on the ball during the penalty shootout. 62. Jersey (noun) The shirt that the player wears. It usually has their name and number on it. Fans also wear jerseys with the names of their favorite teams and players. The team wore their home jersey, which featured their iconic colors and logo, during the championship match. 63. Kit (noun) A soccer or football kit refers to all of the gear that the players wear, including the uniform, cleats, shin guards, strappings, laces, etc. The soccer team received new kits with their sponsor’s logo for the new season. 64. Soccer/football socks (noun) These are long socks that cover the players’ shin pads. The team wore blue soccer socks to match the rest of their uniform. 65. Shin guards (noun) These are plastic covers that protect a player’s shins (the bottom part of the leg’s front ) from getting kicked. Before stepping onto the field, the players ensured they were wearing their shin guards to protect their legs during intense tackles and challenges. League and Game Structure soccer-game-in-stadium 66. Away game (noun) When the team has to travel to another team’s stadium to play the match. Opposite: Home game. Philip hates traveling for away games. He always gets really tired and never plays well. 67. Home game (noun) When the team gets to play in their own territory. Opposite: Away game. Most teams perform better when they have a home game. 68. Match (noun) Another word for a game (used more often in British English). Who do you think is going to win the match? 69. Division (noun) A division refers to a specific level or tier within the league system of a country’s soccer competition. Leagues are often organized into multiple divisions, with each division representing a different level of competition based on the teams’ performance, standings and promotion or relegation system. All the top teams in the UK are in the premier division. 70. Fixture (noun) Refers to a scheduled (planned) match or game between two teams. All the World Cup fixtures are chosen out of a hat to make sure it’s completely fair. 71. Promotion / Promote (noun/verb) When a team does very well during a season, they’ll play in a higher category next time. This is called a promotion. Doncaster Rovers have always been one of the UK’s weaker teams, but after a successful season, they were promoted. 72. Rivals (noun) Enemy/opposition. In sports, a rival refers to a team that competes against another team in a highly competitive and often intense manner. Rivals are typically closely matched in skill and performance. Manchester United and Manchester City have been rivals for years. 73. Relegation / Relegate (noun/verb) The opposite of promote/promotion. When a team does poorly in a season, they are placed in a lower division. After having a lot of bad luck last season, Hull was relegated. 74. Transfer fee (noun) When a player is sold to another team, they must pay some money called a transfer fee. One of the highest transfer fees in football history was when Chelsea bought Fernando Torres. Vocabulary for Soccer Commentary soccer-commentator-on-news 75. Broadcast (noun/verb) When a live event on TV, online or radio is played. Were you able to watch the live broadcast of the match between Brazil and Spain? 76. Clinical finish (noun) A very well-controlled shot that results in a goal. David Beckham is one of the most skilled players in history. He’s famous for his clinical finishes. 77. Keep possession (verb) When one team plays well and has the ball more than the other team. The Australia team is great at keeping possession, but they have difficulty scoring. 78. Long-ball game (noun) This is when a team continues to kick long passes. A long-ball game can be very boring to watch. Sheffield Wednesday is playing their usual long-ball game. 79. One-touch football (noun) This phrase is used to show admiration for a team that successfully manages to pass the ball with only one touch. As usual, the Spanish team is showing off their skills at one-touch football. Look at them go! 80. Prolific goal scorer (noun) A player who’s very successful at scoring goals in almost every game. Ronaldo is a prolific goal scorer; it’s almost guaranteed that he’ll score a goal in every match. 81. Put eleven men behind the ball (idiom) This is an English expression that means a team is more interested in defending than scoring a goal. The USA team isn’t doing much and is making very little effort to score. Their manager seems to have put eleven men behind the ball again. 82. Replay (verb/noun) To show the video of a certain move in the game again to the TV viewers. Let’s take a look at the replay of that fine goal scored by Lorrick Cana. 83. Underdog (noun) The team that’s perceived to be at a disadvantage or less likely to win in a particular match or competition. Atletico Madrid surprised everyone with their win against Barcelona as they’ve always been the underdogs in the Spanish league. Vocabulary for Soccer Tournaments World Cup Trophy 84. Fever pitch (noun) An extremely high level of excitement in the crowd. The Real Madrid fans reached fever pitch as they scored the equalizing goal in the last few seconds of the match. 85. Group stage (noun) The period/time of a tournament when the teams compete in groups to see who will go to the next round. The team advances past the group stage of the tournament and is now competing in the knockout stage. 86. Host country (noun) The country where an international event such as the World Cup or the Olympic Games will be held. Russia was the host country for the 2018 World Cup. 87. National anthem (noun) The official song of a certain country. All players proudly sing their national anthem before playing an international match. 88. National team (noun) A team that represents the country. Spain has one of the strongest national teams in the world. 89. Knockout stage (noun) A time of the tournament when teams are eliminated (no longer allowed to play) if they lose. They can’t lose a game in the knockout stage. This is too important! 90. Qualify (verb) To be able to score enough wins or points to compete in a tournament. Italy didn’t qualify to compete in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. 91. Quarter-finals (noun) The final four matches to see which teams will make it to the semi-finals. There are some strong teams in this year’s quarter-finals. 92. Runner-up (noun) The team who comes 2nd in a tournament. Inter Milan was the runner-up in the 2022-23 Champions League. 93. Semi-finals (noun) A round of two games to see which two teams are going to qualify for the final. Every team plays their hardest in the semi-finals because it’s a great honor to reach the finals. 94. Sponsor (noun/verb) A company or individual that gives money to a team or tournament in exchange for advertisement. Coca-Cola was one of the official sponsors of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. 95. The finals (noun) The final/finishing rounds of a tournament that include the quarter and semi-finals. The finals of the 2014 Champions League were dominated by Spain and England. 96. The final (noun) The last match of the tournament to see who the winner of the championship will be. Manchester City and Inter Milan played in the 2023 Champions League final. 97. Trophy (noun) The object (often a gold cup on a stand) that’s given to the winning team to recognize their achievement and success. The team held up the trophy excitedly to show appreciation to their fans. 98. World Cup (noun) The FIFA World Cup is an international soccer/football tournament held every four years. National teams from various countries compete to qualify for the tournament, and the final competition features 32 teams from different regions. Brazil has won the World Cup more times than any other country in the world. English Phrases to Talk About Soccer with Friends riends-watching-soccer-game Here are some English slang phrases or expressions that you can use with your friends while watching or playing a game together. 99. Get stuck in To play hard with a lot of determination. Look at those guys play! They’re really getting stuck in! 100. Have a lot of pace To be quick. Look at Jane go! She’s got a lot of pace, I’m impressed! 101. Have a sweet left foot To say that a person is very skilled at kicking and scoring with their left foot. Man, did see that goal of Paul’s? He’s got a sweet left foot. I can’t even kick with my right foot like that! 102. Man on! A warning that you can shout out to your teammate when another player is right behind them. Jose screamed “Man on!” when he saw a player from the opposition behind Marcello. 103. Pull off a great save To be able to block a ball that many people expected to be a goal. Peter’s one of the best goalkeepers ever. He’s always able to pull off great saves. 104. Put it in the back of the net To score a goal. Sam is always able to put the ball in the back of the net. He scores most of our team’s points! 105. We were robbed! You use this phrase when you believe the game was unfair. The referee was totally biased and sided with the other team. We should have won but we were robbed! BASICS a match two teams playing against each other in a 90-minute game of football a pitch the area where footballers play a match a referee the person who makes sure that the players follow the rules. Normally wears a black shirt and shorts, and has a whistle a linesman (referee's assistant) the person whose main duty it is to indicate with a flag when the ball has gone out of play or when a player is offside a goalkeeper the player in goal who has to stop the ball from crossing the goal-line. The only player who is allowed to handle the ball during open play a defender a player who plays in the part of the football team which tries to prevent the other team from scoring goals, e.g. 'Kolo Touré is a defender and plays in defence for Arsenal and Ivory Coast'. a midfielder a midfielder - a player who plays mainly in the middle part of the pitch (or midfield), e.g. Michael Essien is a midfielder and plays in midfield for Chelsea and Ghana an attacker also called a forward; a player whose duty it is to score goals, e.g. Samuel Eto'o is an attacker and plays in attack for Barcelona and Cameroon a skipper the player who leads a team, also called the captain a substitute a player who sits on the bench ready to replace another team-mate on the pitch. Can also be used as a verb, e.g. the manager was not happy with his attacker and substituted him after 60 minutes a manager the person in charge of a team and responsible for training, new players and transfers. For example, Alex Ferguson is the manager of Manchester United a foul a violation of the rules. For example, if a player other than the goalkeeper handles the ball in the penalty box (or penalty area) it is a foul and a penalty is given to the other team a booking a yellow card shown to a player by the referee for a serious foul. Two bookings or yellow cards result in a red card or sending-off full-time the point of the game when the referee blows the final whistle and the match is over. Normally after 90 minutes and any added injury or stoppage time injury time also called stoppage time, added minutes at the end of the regular playing time at half-time or full-time. Entirely at the referee's discretion and normally indicated by an official on the sideline (or touchline) extra time if a match has no winner at full-time, 2 x 15 minutes of extra time may be played in some competitions offside in a position which is not allowed by the rules of the game, i.e. when an attacking player is closer to the opposing team's goal-line at the moment the ball is passed to him or her than the last defender apart from the goalkeeper ^^ Back to Top SCORING the score the record of goals that indicates who is winning. The final score is the result that decides who has won the match. Can also be used as a verb, e.g. the attacker scored a beautiful goal to concede to allow a goal in, the opposite of scoring a goal. For example, Ghana conceded only four goals in the World Cup qualifying group 2 a goal a successful attempt at scoring achieved by putting the ball over the goal line into the goal past the goalkeeper. For example, Gyan Asamoah has scored a beautiful goal for Ghana an own goal a goal scored accidentally by a member of the defending team that counts in favour of the attacking team the lead when a team scores first it is "in the lead", i.e. winning the match at the point of scoring. For example, Fabrice Akwa's early goal gave Angola the lead after 72 minutes but the final score was 1-1 (one all) an equaliser a goal that cancels out the opposing team's lead and leaves the match tied or drawn. Can also be used as a verb, e.g. Marouan Chamakh equalised for Morocco after 40 minutes and brought the score level to win a match in which a team is victorious and beats the other team. A win normally gives the winning team three points, the losing team does not get any points. More commonly used as a verb, e.g. Brazil won the World Cup in 2002 a draw a match that ends in a tie, i.e. has no winner or loser. The teams get one point each for a draw. Can also be used as a verb, e.g. Congo drew 0-0 (nil all) with Senegal in June a defeat a match that is lost, the opposite of a win. For example, Sudan suffered a home defeat to Zambia in September 2002 to knock out to eliminate another team from a competition. For example, in the last World Cup Brazil knocked out England in the quarter-finals a penalty shoot-out in a knock-out competition, a penalty shoot-out takes place if a match is a draw after full-time or extra-time. Five players from each team take a penalty each, and if the score is still level after that, one player from each team takes a penalty in turn, in order to decide who wins the match a goal difference If team A has scored four goals and team B one, the goal difference is three a head-to-head a way of deciding which team is ranked higher if two teams are level (or equal) on points. For example, if team A and B both have six points, but team A beat team B in the head-to-head game, team A will be ranked above team B a play-off an extra match to decide which of two or more teams should go through to the next round. For example, Australia beat Uruguay on penalties in a play-off to qualify for the World Cup 2006 the away-goal rule in some competitions, e.g. the UEFA Champions' League, a rule that rewards teams for scoring away from home over two legs (or matches). For example, in 2005 AC Milan beat PSV Eindhoven 2-0 at home (in Milan) but lost 1-3 away in Holland. So both teams had scored three goals and conceded three goals, but because AC Milan had scored a goal away from home it went through to the Champions' League final on the away-goal rule ^^ Back to Top TYPES OF SHOT to kick to hit something, or somebody, with your foot. In football, the players kick the ball. to shoot to kick the ball towards the net at one end of the pitch (the goal) in an attempt to score a goal the kick-off the first kick of the game when two players from the same team in the centre circle play the ball and start the match. Also the first kick after half-time or after a goal has been scored a goal-kick a kick taken from the 6-yard line by the defending team after the ball has been put over the goal line by the attacking team a free-kick the kick awarded to a team by the referee after a foul has been committed against it a penalty a free shot at goal from 12 yards (11 metres or the penalty spot) awarded by the referee to a team after a foul has been committed in the penalty area a corner a kick from the corner flag awarded to the attacking team when the ball has crossed the gaol-line (or byline) after last being touched by a player of the defending team a throw-in a throw is taken from the sideline (or touchline) after the ball has gone out of play. The only time a player can handle the ball without committing a foul a pass a kick of the ball from one player to another. Can also be used as a verb, e.g. the defender passed the ball to the midfielder a cross a pass from the side of the pitch into the penalty area in an attempt to find an attacker and score a goal. Can also be used as a verb, e.g. the defender crossed the ball into the penalty area a one-two a passing move in which player 1 passes the football to player 2, who immediately passes it back to player 1 a header the "shot" that occurs when a player touches and guides the ball with his or her head. For example, El Hadji Djouf scored with a fine header. Can also be used as a verb, e.g. the defender headed the ball back to the goalkeeper a backheel a kick where the ball is hit with the heel (or the back) of the foot. Can also be used as a verb, e.g. Nwankwo Kanu back-heeled the ball to Thierry Henry to volley to kick a moving ball from the air before it hits the ground. Can also be used as a noun, e.g. Jay Jay Okocha's beautifully-struck volley beat the goalkeeper at the near post a clearance a defensive kick that is intended to put the ball out of danger, e.g. Peter Odemwingie's clearance went out of play for a throw-in ^^ Back to Top READING THE PRESS one-touch football an often admiring reference to a style of football in which a team can pass the ball quickly from one player to another without the need to control it with more than one touch the long-ball game an often disapproving reference to a style of football in which a team prefers to play long balls in the hope that an attacking player will get them, flick them on or score keep possession to be able to keep the ball and prevent the opposing team from touching it. The opposite of "lose possession" or "give the ball away" they are dangerous on the counter-attack referring to a team that can switch quickly from defence to attack and score goals in that way put eleven men behind the ball referring to a team that defends with all the players and is not very interested in scoring goals. For example, many visiting teams put eleven men behind the ball and are happy with a 0-0 draw when they play Real Madrid at the Bernabéu stadium send the keeper the wrong way refers to the way in which a player can fool the goalkeeper and pretend to shoot at one side of the goal while the ball goes in another direction. This expression is used often during penalties a clinical finish referring to a well-placed, controlled shot from a scoring position that ends in a goal. For example, Tunisia's Hatem Trabelsi controlled the pass and scored with a clinical finish his/her first touch let him/her down this means a player was unable to control the ball (or pass) with his or her first touch and as a result lost precious time or even possession they are strong in the air referring to a team that has a lot of (tall) players who can head the ball very well. As a result, they are strong in the air, may prefer the long-ball game, and score a lot of goals with headers while not conceding any or many headed goals themselves they have a big physical presence referring to a team that has a lot of big and physically strong players and, as a result, prefers a very robust style of play. For example, Bolton Wanderers have a big physical presence and are a difficult team to beat in the Premiership the goalkeeper is quick off his/her line referring to a goalkeeper who is fast and makes quick (and normally correct) decisions as to when to leave the goal in order to prevent an attacking player from reaching a pass or cross that shot stung the goalkeeper's palms referring to a shot on goal that is so hard that the goalkeeper might well have felt pain when he/she stopped it with his/her hands a prolific goal scorer referring to a player, normally a striker, who scores or has scored a lot of goals. For example, Henrik Larsson is a prolific goal scorer for Sweden the foul earned him/her a suspension referring to a foul that is punished by a yellow or red card and results in the player being banned from playing in the next game(s). For example, the two-footed tackle earned the defender a suspension and he will miss the next game ^^ Back to Top TALKING WITH FRIENDS put it in the back of the net to score a goal, e.g. Nigeria and Middlesbrough striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu controlled the cross and calmly put it in the back of the net man on! shout during a football match to warn a team-mate that a player of the other team is right behind. Often a call to pass the ball quickly a nutmeg a trick or technique in which a player passes the ball through an opponent's legs and then collects it from the other side. Can also be used as a verb, e.g. the attacker nutmegged the defender bang it in the mixer! a shout to encourage a player to play a long ball into the penalty area (i.e. the "mixer") in the hope that an attacking player will get on the end of it and score we was robbed an expression to signal that a defeat was unjust, possibly due to an injustice committed by somebody else. For example, we was robbed by the ref (the referee) s/he's got a sweet left foot referring to a player who is very skilful at kicking the ball with her/his left foot (the majority of footballers play with their right foot) s/he pulled off a great save referring to a very strong, quick or acrobatic stop of a shot by the goalkeeper they hit the woodwork the crossbar or the post of the goal. This expression means a team kicked the ball against the crossbar or post and was very unlucky not to score they got stuck in referring to a team whose players showed a lot of determination and fought very hard during a match s/he ran the defence ragged referring to an attacking player who made the defence work very hard and made the defenders look uncomfortable or unprofessional s/he's got a lot of pace this player is very fast the goalkeeper made a howler this means the goalkeeper made a very basic mistake (and probably let in a goal) to switch play to change direction of play and pass the ball from one side of the pitch to the other. For example, she switched play from left to right wing (the left-hand side of the pitch to the right-hand-side) s/he made a nuisance of herself/himself referring to a player, normally a striker, who fought very hard and used his physical presence to put the defenders under pressure and forced them to make mistakes it's a game of two halves an expression referring to the fact that a football match can change unexpectedly over 90 minutes, and especially between the first half and second half of the match Environment Stadium Locker room Bleachers Pitch midfield Center circle Halfway line Sideline – touchline Corner arc Goal line Goal Penalty box Penalty spot – Penalty kick mark Six-yard-box - Goal area People Team Opponent team Coach Referee Assistant referee - line judge - linesman Player Substitute Playmaker Goal keeper - goalie Defender Center back Forward Second top Center forward Striker Sweeper (Right / left) winger Full back (Right / left) back Defensive midfielder Offensive midfielder Side midfielder Actions Fake / dummy Foul Legal challenge Illegal challenge Dangerous play To obstruct To hold an opponent To tackle an opponent from behind To anticipate a pass To get past an opponent To dribble past an opponent To switch play Man-to-man marking To lose one's marker To punch out To throw-out (Long / short) clearance (Long / short) pass Forward pass Kick Overhead kick Header To cross the ball (forward) To cross the ball back from the goal line To be in an offside position Sanction To award a free kick Penalty shoot out assistant referee flag foul fourth official handball offside red card referee whistle yellow card cup cup tie derby final friendlies group stage qualifiers quarter-finals semi-final the draw anthem booing chanting cheering clapping face paint singing spectator team colours waving ball drills fitness formation medical strategy stretching tactics trainer training agility ring bib clipboard cone foot ladder hurdle megaphone pole portable goal stopwatch armband boots cap gloves shin pads shirt shorts socks studs tracksuit away Champions fixtures home league table promotion relegation result three points underdog centre circle centre spot corners goal goal line halfway line penalty area penalty spot six yard box touch line appeal body language caution coin-toss direct free-kick drop-ball indirect free-kick sending off stretcher suspension extra-time kick-off first half final whistle full time half time injury time second half toss-up warm-up captain centre-backs defenders full-backs goalkeeper midfielders strikers substitute team wingers advantage defensive wall equaliser header in play open goal out of play own goal penalty shootout possession ball boy division first-team mascot medics nickname reserves sponsor transfer trophy booking corner kick free kick goal kick injury penalty restart sending-off substitution throw-in banner fan klaxon match programme match ticket rattle scarf stadium stands turnstile chairman chief scout club doctor first team coach fitness coach groundsmen kit man manager physio stewards cross dribble head mark pass punch save score shoot tackle backheel bicycle-kick clearance curl dummy half-volley keepy-uppy side-foot toe punt volley bench club shop commentary box dressing room end gate ground scoreboard terrace tunnel dangerous play diving foul throw obstruction pushing spitting swearing time wasting tripping unsporting behaviour