Abandon the game - A situation where the referee leaves the field due to weather or a serious situation that makes continued play intolerable.
Abuse – verbal (nonphysical) questioning, criticism, mockery, disagreement, or characterization
Advantage - (1) when play is permitted to continue by the referee following an infraction but the team on whom the foul is committee maintains possession of the ball, and the official feels that the team which has been fouled would be punished further by stopping play; (2) when a team quickly advances the ball down the field in an attempt to get its players near the opponent's goal before the defenders have a chance to retreat; (3) where a team has possession of the ball and outnumbers the opposition near the opposing goal
Advantage Rule - a clause in the rules that directs the referee to refrain from stopping play for a foul if a stoppage would benefit the team that committed the violation.
AFC - the governing body of soccer in Asia; acronym stands for
Asian Football Confederation; based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia;
founded in 1954; membership of approximately 41 nations
African - (British) a play in which the ball is passed on one side past an opponent with the passing player running around the other side of the opponent to retrieve the ball
Against the Run of Play - (1) describing a particular play or outcome occurring in favor of the less-dominant team (e.g., "They scored against the run of play."); (2) describing a counterattacking play launched by a defending team soon after it regains possession of the ball
Age-Pure – a condition where all players on a team have been born within the same 12-month period
Aggregate Goals - the total number of goals scored by a team from more than one match
Air Mail - (British) slang for a ball sent way over the head of an intended recipient
All Ball - a phrase meaning that a tackling player got the ball first and then tripped the opponent second, usually implying that the tackle was properly made. (Even "all ball" tackles can be whistled for dangerous play.)
Ambitious - (British) - a description of a ball (or player) that is played recklessly and with little chance of success
Appeal - an action or administrative filing used to contest the administrative action of a ruling body to the next higher level
Arc - the half-circle at the top of the penalty box; alternatively, the quarter-circle at each corner of the field in which the ball is placed for a corner kick
Area (The) - The penalty area (box), aka "The 18-yard box".
Assist - a pass to a teammate that ultimate results in a goal. One or two passes
prior to a goal may be considered assists.
Assault – physical contact (direct or indirect), restraints, or threats thereof
Assist - the pass or passes that immediately precede a goal. Only the last pass or the last two passes can qualify as an assist to go in the record book.
Association Football - traditional term for the game in England to distinguish it from rugby football. (This was abbreviated "assoc". Over time, the prefix was dropped and in English custom, "er" added to the end to form the word soccer.)
Attack - an attempt to score
Attacker - (1) a player who is moving into position to score; (2) any player on the team that has possession of the ball
Attacking Cone - a (roughly) triangular portion of the field starting with where you are and pointing (with the apex) at the opponent's goal
Attacking Half - the half of the field containing the opponent's goal
Attacking Midfielder - the most forward-playing midfielder, playing right behind the forwards
Attacking Team - the team that has possession of the ball
Attacking Third - the third of the field containing the opponent's goal
"Away" - a command, as yelled by the goalkeeper meaning, "Clear the ball out of the area!"
Away (Game) - a game not played on a team's home field
Away Strip - the strip used for away games
"B" International - an international game in which the teams are not the true national teams (e.g., are U23 players or second-string)
Back - (1) fullback; (2) a communication term used by a supporting player to let the ball-handler know he/she has support from behind
"Back and Face" - a request to the advanced players (who have just lost possession) to get behind the ball, face the opponents, and play defensively
Back Door - the area on the opposite side of the goal mouth from where a cross or corner kick is taken
Back Four - a formation of deep defenders comprised of the left and right outside fullbacks and two other central defenders, often called a stopper and a sweeper. (Also, see "Flat Back Four".)
Back Header - a player's use of their head to direct the ball backwards.
Back Heel (Pass) - see "Heel"
Back Pass - a pass made to a player behind
Back Post - (1) the post supporting the goal's crossbar that is farthest from the ball; (2) a position or location directly next to the post farthest from the ball; (3) a position or location that is directly in front of, but some distance removed, from the post farthest from the ball; (4) someplace in the general vicinity of the post farthest from the ball.
Back Swing - the distance a kicker brings their kicking foot behind himself before kicking the ball
Back Tackle - an attempt by a defender to take the ball away from a ball carrier by placing the defender's leg in front of the ball
Back-to-Goal - a stance or orientation where a player's back is towards the opponent's goal (i.e., the player is facing his/her own goal)
Back-to-Pressure - a stance or orientation where a player has turned so that his/her back is towards the nearest (usually, very near!) opponent
Bad Foot (Leg) - referring to the foot (leg) that is not dominant; weak foot (leg)
Badge - (1) the symbol used to represent a club or team and to distinguish itself from others. (2) the patch worn by a referee. (3) a reference to authority ("You can interpret the laws of the game any way you want when you have the badge.")
Baggio - (named after Roberto Baggio's World Cup shootout performance) - (n) a slang term referring to a shot that goes far over the goal
Balance - the positioning of players in such a manner that the team maintains its shape and effectiveness.
Ball Carrier - a player that has possession of the ball
Ball Denial - defensive player positioning in order to keep the ball away from an opposing player
Ball-Side - a location that is between the ball and another player
Ball-to-Hand - an unintentional handling of a ball by a player other than the goal-keeper in the penalty area
Ball Watchers - players that focus on the ball exclusively, losing track of attacking players and the movement of those attackers to get into position to receive the ball
Ball Watching - focusing on the ball, not opponents
Banana Kick - a kick (usually a long corner kick) that curves so much that the path takes the shape of a banana
Baseball Throw - a type of throw used by goalkeepers to move the ball over medium distances
Beckenbauer Sweeper - defensive position named after Franz Beckenbauer who, in the late 1960's as part of the NASL New York Cosmos' , was one of the most complete players ever, transforming the sweeper position into both an attacking and defensive position
Behind the Defender - the area between a defender and their goal
Bench - the area or structure in which the coach and substitutes remain during a game
Bend the Ball - make the ball curve (around a wall)
Bicycle Kick - a play made famous by Pele of the New York Cosmos (but invented in Chile) where a player kicks the ball in mid-air backwards and over their own head, usually making contact above waist level
Bifurcate – to
separate into two (or more) groups
"Bite" - a phrase spoken by a supporting defender instructing the closest defender to strip the ball from an attacker
Blast - a hard hit, quick paced shot
Blind Side - the side of the player away from the ball
Block Tackle - a way of tackling an opponent head-on and gaining possession of the ball while still standing
Blow (n) - a breather or chance to rest
Boil (n) - a condition of being effective. ("Jimmy has gone off the boil.")
Book; Booked; Booking - a term referring to a player's name being written down by a referee for either a yellow or red card infraction. ("His name goes in the book.")
"Boot It" - clearing the ball from danger by kicking it up field or or out of bounds. The kick usually has no intended receiver and is usually done to relieve pressure in the goal area. Usually yelled by parents (and, some coaches!) who believe that soccer is a game of boom ball and who get frantic during a game.
Boots - (British) soccer shoes or cleats
Brazilian Soccer - s term used to describe the Brazilian way of playing (i.e., creative, highly technical, and passing-oriented)
Break - when a team quickly advances the ball down the field in an attempt to get its players near the opponent's goal before the defenders have a chance to retreat.
Breakaway - when an attacker with the ball approaches the goal undefended; this exciting play pits a sole attacker against the goalkeeper in a one-on-one showdown
Brilliant - (British) - well-executed, difficult play
Broadway - slang for down the middle ("His run was straight down Broadway.")
By-Line - the field boundary running across its width at each end; what Americans call the goal line. (An infrequent misuse, noted among television commentators, is to refer to the touch line (i.e., the sideline) as the by-line.)
CAF - organization representing African soccer; acronym stands for Confederation Africaine de Football; based in Cairo, Egypt; founded in 1956; membership of approximately 51 nations
Calcio - Italian word for soccer
Call - a decision made by the referee
Calling - communication on the field between teammates
Cap(s) - recognition earned by a player for each appearance in an international game for their country.
Captain - an individual, usually designated by an armband, that is usually selected by the coach to control the team, communicate with the game officials, and to represent the team at selected functions
Carbs; Carbos; Carbohydrates - any of a large group of compounds in which hydrogen and oxygen, in the proportions in which they exist in water, are combined with carbon; the formula of most of these compounds may be expressed as Cm(H2O)n. As used in sports drinks, "carbohydrate" usually means "sugar".
Card; Carding a player - showing the card as symbol of booking
Carpet - (British) grass or turf
Catenaccio - (Italian for "chain") - A defensive playing style (formation, etc.) developed by the Italians, often using a sweeper, that gives up few goals while degrading the game to boredom.
Caught in Possession (being) - a situation where a ball handler is displaced of the ball after being stopping or being stopped
Caught Flat-Footed (being) - a situation where a defender is standing still or is too slow to react to a play because he/she was not mobile when the play began
Caught Square (being) - a situation where two players (e.g., backs) are equidistant from the goal (i.e., parallel with the goal line) and between which a through ball is passed or dribbler proceeds
Caution - A disciplinary action (yellow card) taken by the referee against a player or a coach for misconduct
Celebration (after a goal) - any action (removing one's jersey, running to the sidelines, doing a flip, or the entire team making a snake or chain) which is performed after the scoring of a goal
Center (to) - to pass the ball from a player located near the sideline towards the middle of the field
Center Circle - a circular marking with a 10-yard radius in the center of the field from which kickoffs are taken to start or restart the game
Center Forward - the middle forward (striker) in a three-across formation
Center Line - the line that divides the field in half along its width, parallel to the goals
Center Mark - the exact center of the field, on the half-way line, equidistant from the sides
Center Pass - to pass the ball from the sides to the center of the field
Center Spot - the small mark inside the center circle that denotes the center of the field from which kickoffs are taken to start or restart the game.
Central Defender - a player who guards the area directly in front of their own goal in a zone defense
Central Forward - a team's most powerful and best-scoring forward who plays towards the center of the field
Central Midfielder - the midfielder most responsible for organizing play in the midfield area
Ceremonial Free Kick (or Ceremonial Restart) - a free kick or other restart for which the referee has instructed the players to wait for his signal before taking the restart. Often used in free kick situations when the referee has to manage the setting of the defensive wall at the minimum distance
Certification - a credentialing process whereby a coach or referee is given formal recognition and credit for having achieved some level of training
Chaining - combining several moves, steps, procedures, or actions into a larger, more complex action
Challenge - an attempt to strip an opponent of the ball
Championship Game - final game used to determine the overall winners
Change of Pace Move - a move in which the speed of play (e.g., dribble) is varied between fast and slow (or, stopped)
Channel - (1) (as a verb) to guide, drive, or force a dribbler to the outside or another location more advantageous to the defense; (2) (as a noun) an imaginary alley or lane running lengthwise through the field to which a player confines him/herself
Charge (to) - to make contact with an opponent
Charging - a method of unbalancing (using one's shoulder and arm) the player who has possession or is attempting to gain possession of the ball
Check (Run) - a run towards, away from the ball handler, or both made to receive the ball
Check To - a movement towards the ball handler
Cheeky - (British) risky and technically difficult (move or play)
Chest Trap - use of a player's chest to slow down and control an air ball
Chip - a high soft kick used to lift a ball over another player's heads
Chip Pass - a pass lofted into the air from a player to a teammate
Chip Shot - a kick lofted into the air to try to sail the ball over the goalkeeper's head and still make it under the crossbar into the goal
Chop - a rapid, powerful redirection of the ball with the foot; more forceful than a cut
Clear (prep.) - ahead ("2 points clear"
Clear (Clearing) (v) - the action of moving the ball out of the vicinity of one’s own goal area by throwing (goalkeeper only) or kicking it (generally up the sideline or out of play)
Clearance - A ball that is kicked rapidly away from the danger area
Cleats - (1) the metal, plastic or rubber points in the bottom of a soccer shoe used to provide a player with traction; (2) the shoes themselves
Climb the ladder - jumping up very high to head the ball
Clinical Goal - a textbook goal scored that was shot and scored perfectly
Close Down (to) - to pressure the player with the ball immediately by getting at close as possible, without letting the attacker get past
Club - A formal business organization whose specific purpose is the development of individuals with extremely high soccer skills, fitness, and knowledge of tactics and strategy for the professional soccer industry.
Club Team - A team that is organized and trained by a club or independent coach, not the (association providing the) league of play. A "club team" does not necessarily have to belong to a club. The adjective is used to distinguish club semi-permanent teams from seasonal recreational teams.
Coat of Arms - a collection of heraldic symbols (e.g., a shield, crest, helm, etc.) used to identify a soccer club or team
Coerver Method - Dutch coach Weil Coerver's philosophy of soccer moves and total soccer concepts that rely on repetition to develop footwork and ball handling skills
Coin Toss - a method used by the referee to determine which of two teams kicks off and the respective directions of the two teams
Collecting - the technique of catching a soccer ball with some part of the body and bringing it under control
Comeback Win - (1) a game victory that comes only after previous losses, and sufficient to prevent relegation or being dropped from the competition, or (2) a game victory in a home-away pair of games with a single opponent that comes after previously having lost the first game
Combination (Play) - a play in which two or more members of the same team pass the ball amongst themselves
Come off (your man) - getting away from the opponent marking you
Commit - to decide (usually, unconsciously) on a direction or action, followed by action
Commit the
opponent - inducting an opponent to commit to a (wrong) direction of motion or
action by use of a move or feint
Conference – a grouping of teams or organizations (typically, universities) that by virtue of some commonality (e.g., geographical location) have elected to schedule common competitions; a “league” of play
CONMEBOL - organization representing South American soccer region; acronym drawn from full name -- Confederacion Sudamericana de Futbol; based in Asuncion, Paraguay; founded in 1916; membership of approximately 10 nations
Consolation Game; consolidation round – a “final” game between two teams to determine 3rd and 4th place rankings.
Consolation Match - a tournament game played between the losers of the 2 semifinal matches to determine the third-place team
Contain (to) - to slow down an attacker in order to get adequate defense in place; to not permit an attacker to get by you
Copa - (Spanish) cup
Copa America - one of the oldest international soccer events, the Copa America pits the national soccer teams of the
CONMEBOL; first held in 1917 and has been played at least every four years but often special editions are scheduled in off years; the tournament takes place in a host country
Copa
Libertadroes - a club competition that matches the winners of the 10 South
America soccer associations; the tournament began in 1960 but has
undergone several format changes
Copa Mundial - (Spanish) World Cup
Corner Arc - a quarter-circle with a radius of 1 yard located at each of the 4 corners of the field; on a corner kick, the ball must be kicked from inside this arc
Corner Flag - the flag located at each of the 4 corners of the field, inside the corner area
Corner Kick - a direct free kick taken by an attacking player from the corner of the defending team's end of the field in an attempt to score
Counterattack - an attack launched by a defending team soon after it regains possession of the ball
Cover - (i) defensive support, usually from behind; (ii) the word a supporting player calls to a player ahead indicating support from behind; (iii) the act of supporting a player nearby.
Cracker - (British slang) - a hard shot
Create space - move into a new area, sometimes taking opponents with you, allowing a teammate to use the open space just vacated. (Space can also be created for yourself by moving away from an opponents or teammate.
Crafty/Creative Play - starting a play that many players and spectators would not have thought of
Creating Space - a player creates space by drawing an opponent away from his/her teammates or away from the area that is wanted open
Creative Midfielder - the central midfielder responsible for creating scoring opportunities for the attackers and other players
Cross - a kick into the middle of the goal box, a pass from an attacking player near the sideline to a teammate in the middle or opposite side of the field
Cross Fields - an offensive movement of the ball from one side of the field to the other, to set up an open attack on the other side of the field
Crossbar - the horizontal beam that forms the top of a goal and sits on top of the two posts
Crossing Pass - a kick into the middle of the goal box, a pass from an attacking player near the sideline to a teammate in the middle or opposite side of the field
Cruyff (Turn)
- a footwork move named after Dutch player Johann Cruyff who used it in the
early 1970's with great success
Crossover Runs - a series of runs, typically performed by two outside forwards,
wherein players simultaneously exchange sides of the field
Cuauteminha (Cuauhteminha)
- a ball trick introduced at World Cup France '98 by (and, named after)
Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Mexico) in which the dribbler jumps over intended tacklers
with the ball trapped between his/her own feet.
Cup – a tournament
Curving the ball - kicking the ball so it curves as it travels through the air
Cut - a small change of direction while carrying the ball, less dramatic than a chop
Cut Back - dribbling the ball backwards, away the goal, in an attempt to keep possession of the ball
Cut Down the Angle - movement by the goalkeeper coming out of the goal several feet to make him/herself closer and larger to an attacker, leaving the attacker less open net to shoot at
Cut Off - when a defensive player keeps his/her body between an attacker and the defender's goal, forcing the attacker out towards the sidelines, making the attacker less dangerous
Cut Off the Line - a defensive tactic against teams that throw "down the line" on throw-in
Dangerous Play - when a player attempts a play that the referee considers dangerous to that player or others
Dead Ball – stationary (stopped) ball after the official signals an infraction, and requiring a restart such as a free kick or corner kick
Deadening the Ball - a method of taking away the balls momentum and making it easier to control; stopping the ball against a part of the body when it comes to a player
Deck - the packet of cards (i.e., the red and yellow cards) that the referee carries in his pocket during a game
Decoy Run - creating a diversion for your teammate by running off the ball
Deep - close to the penalty area or goal (e.g., "The ball was kicked deep into the opponent's field of play.")
Defender - a player who functions primarily in the defensive third of the field and whose major role is to repel attacks on the goal by the opposing team
Defending Team - the team that does not have possession of the ball
Defense - a team's function of preventing the opposition from scoring
Defensive Midfielder - the player positioned just in front of their team's defense
Defensive Third - The third of the field closest to one's own goal
Deflection - the ricochet of a ball after it hits a player (including the goalkeeper) or a referee
Delaying - a defensive tactic which allows members of one team to get into a stronger position which may stop the attack from getting any farther
Denying an Obvious Goal Scoring Opportunity (DOGSO) -- a foul committed against an attacker who is close to the goal (and heading towards the goal) with only one defender (typically the goal keeper) in front of him.
Depth - a defensive methodology in which two or more players support each other and form successive "layers" through which an attack must penetrate
Derby - (as used in soccer) an encounter, contest, fight, or game against a longtime rival (e.g., Manchester City v. Manchester United)- - Pronounced "darby" by the British.
Diagonal Run - a run made diagonally across the field, usually without the ball
Direct Free Kick - a free kick that is awarded for substantial infractions of the laws of the game
Dispossess (to) - to take the ball aware from a player
Dissent - Disagreement with a decision made by the referee
Distribute - (as referring to the goalkeeper) - to give the ball to another teammate
Dive (to) - to fall to the ground, sometimes feigning injury, in an effort to draw a foul or penalty kick on an adjacent player
Dive in (to) - approaching an opponent rapidly without slowing down, usually resulting in the opponent side-stepping and easily avoiding the approach
Diving Header - a ball struck near ground level by the head of a diving player
Dominant Foot - the foot that a player tends to be a stronger kicker with
Down the Line - a throw-in tactic meaning to throw the ball close to the touch line toward the opponent's goal rather than toward the center of the field
Downfield - towards the opponents' goal
Drag (the ball) - to move the ball while keeping one's foot on it, typically performed with the sole of the boot
Draw - a game that ends with a tied score
Draw (The) - the selection of teams for a tournament in order to fairly place them into playing groups
Dribble - running with the ball at the fee and playing it on every step or every other step
Dribbler - a player who advances the ball while controlling it with the feet
Drill It (to) - to send a powerfully-hit ball
Drive - a low, hard shot, usually made with the laces
Drop - (n) a soft one-touch pass to a teammate; usually backwards in negative space, for them to possess or shoot
Drop; Drop and Mark; Drop in - (v) to move back in a defensive position so as to get behind the ball or dribbler
Drop(ped) Ball - a method of restarting a game where the referee drops the ball between 2 players facing each other
Drop Kick - when a goalkeeper drops the ball from their hands and kicks it before it hits the ground
Drop Off (to) - to increase the distance from a marked player
Duration (full) - Two halves, 45 minutes each
Dummy (n) - a faked reception of an incoming ball that allows the ball to travel further onward to another player
Early Ball - a ball that is played quickly (e.g., at first opportunity) into a position for a teammate to pick up
Early Service - to cross or pass the ball into the 18-yard box too quickly
Ejection - An act (of showing the red card and requiring leaving the field) taken by the referee against a player who has committed a serious offense.
Elite - an adjective used by soccer clubs to indicate position in a hierarchy of skill levels. Actual position depends on club usage (e.g., "premier, elite, and select teams")
Empty Net - a goal without a keeper in front of it
Encroaching - being too close (e.g., less than 10 yards) from the kicker on a free kick, goal kick, penalty kick, or corner kick
End Line - the field boundary (goal line) running along its width at each end
Enforcer - a brutal player, usually a back or midfielder, who fouls, intimidates, and retaliates on behalf of his/her team
Engine Room - a nickname for a creative midfielder
Equalizer - a tying goal
Escort - a defensive move based on an attacker's own momentum and absence of options to "escort" the attacker out of bounds
European Champions League - a competition in addition to the UEFA Cup which matches clubs which won their national leagues in a head-to-head, home-and-away tournament; the 32 invited teams have won the season title in a top European league; the league is an elimination tournament and is played in addition to the regular league schedule.
European Cup - UEFA sanctioned competition which occurs every four years between World Cup finals; field includes national teams from throughout Europe; first held in 1960
European Cup Winners Cup - a club competition pitting the winners of league cups the prior year in head-to-head competition; cup tournaments are opened to all divisions of a national league, meaning that quite a few surprise teams have gotten into this tournament; this tournament is an elimination, home-and-away tournament.
Extra Time - the additional two periods each of 15 minutes of play and prior to any sudden-death periods added to a game that has ended in a tie but must result in a winner. Not to be confused with "Stoppage Time". See, also, "Overtime" and "Injury Time".