Featured Links

84 Soccer Coaching Drills For Coaches - CLICK HERE To Download Now!

Animated Soccer Drills & Coaching Software - Get FREE Instant Access

Soccer Definitions (Slang Terms)

Advantage – when a player is fouled but the referee allows play to continue since the offensive team still has possession and has a good attack going (if the play does fall apart the referee can then call the foul – the referee is waiting to see how the play unfolds)

Area chica - Spainish term for the six yard box in front of the goal

Back heel – hitting the ball with your heel (passing with the heel of your foot to a player who has made a run behind you)

Booking – when a yellow card is given by the referee

Brace - when a player scores two goals

Build up - usually when a team plays the ball out of the back rather than serving the ball up to the forward with a long pass; a slower and more methodical way to bring the ball out of the back where the defenders keep possession of the ball and move it laterally

Check – to ask for the ball or make a run checking back to receive the ball

Clasico - Spainish term for when local rivals are playing one another

Clean sheet - when a keeper doesn't allow the opposing team to score

Clearing it – when a team decisively kicks the ball out of its defensive zone, stopping the other team’s offensive attack (if a team is being bombarded with an offensive attack and can’t seem to stop it, your team can boot the ball down field or out of bounds to regroup and get everyone back into position)

Closing down - putting pressure on an offensive player so they have no space or time to operate

Cover – supporting the player closing down an opponent (the second and third defenders who cover the first player to help win the ball)

Dead ball - a free kick

Derby - game against a cross town rival

Diagonal ball - just what it is, a cross field pass or diagonal ball that opens up the game

Diving header - when a player jumps parallel to the ground in order to hit the ball with his or her head (when that’s the only way the attacking player can really reach the ball)

Dual citizenship - holds citizenship in two countries but the player can only play for one country, and if he or she has already played for one country he or she cannot then go play for another.

Dummy – Letting the ball go past or through your legs to a teammate.

Dummy run - A run by player without the ball to draw a defender away

Far post – the goalpost farthest from where you are positioned (refers to runs made into the goal box – near and far post runs)

Galáctico - term used to describe a soccer or football star (Real Madrid's effort to buy world class and famous stars like Figo, Beckam, Zidane, Ronaldo, and Robinho)

Get stuck in – to make a hard tackle that sets a tone or makes a statement that your team
is here to play

Goalaso – Spanish for incredible goal.

Golden goal - A goal scored in overtime which ends the match.

Half volley – striking the ball just after it hits the ground

Hattrick – three goals in one game by one player

Header – to hit the ball with the head

Hospital ball – a poor pass to a teammate that puts them in danger of being hurt (a slow pass that doesn’t quite get to your teammate)

Indirect kick – a free kick where a teammate must touch the ball before you can score

Injury time – time added on to the end of the game because of injuries or stoppage time (fouls, injuries, the other team intentionally wasting time)

In-swinger – a cross that is bending towards the goal mouth and not away from the goalkeeper

Linesman - the assistant referee with the flag who tells the referee when the ball is out of bounds or when an attacker is off-sides (there are two linesman, each monitoring one half of the field)

Marking – closing down or keeping a close eye on an attacking player to win the ball or dissuade an opponent to make a pass to this player

Near post – the goalpost closest to you (refers to runs made into the goal box – near and far post runs)

Nutmeg - To put the ball between an opponent's legs

Offside – beyond the second to last defender and involved in the play

One-touch – playing the ball with just one touch

Onion bag – the goal or net

Out swinger – a cross that is bending away from the goal

Overlap - player runs around a teammate and ahead of the ball for a pass into space (outside defender makes a run around the wide midfielder)

Own goal – goal scored by your own team (accidental goal or deflection for instance)

PK – penalty kick

Play the way you're facing –pass the ball in the direction you are facing (you don’t have to turn – lay the ball back and then make a run into space)

Playmaker – the player who directs the offensive attack and controls the game (everything goes through this player, a player like Zidane)

Pressure – closing down the opponent or other team on defense (make the player with the ball, that you are pressuring, get their head down so that can't see the field or make a play so easily)

Professional foul – a foul made when a player has a clear advantage and may lead to a scoring opportunity (a subtle trip or grabbing of the jersey so the offensive player is goes down and the play is stopped and your teammates can get back to help)

Sending off – when a player receives a red card and must leave the field

Sombrero - flicking, juggling, or scooping the ball over a defender's head and maintain possession or going around the defender

Square – a lateral pass or when you’re on a horizontal plan with a teammate (a square pass to keep possession)

Striker – a forward or attacking player, goal scorer

Superclasico - Spainish term used for the local rival match between River Plate and Boca Juniors, both of Buenos Aires, Argentina

Sweeper – the last defensive player who doesn’t mark someone but remains free to clean up mistakes and cover other teammates

Tackle – to attempt to win or steal the ball from your opponent

Takeover – to exchange the ball with another teammate

Through ball – play the ball in behind the defense when a player is making a run

Touch the ball around the defender – when dribbling hard at an opponent, and you have the momentum and the defender is coming in too fast, you touch the ball to the side and around the on rushing defender and continue on

Two-touch – play the ball after touching the ball twice (to keep the game flowing – a drill in practice to make sure you are playing the ball quickly)

Upper V - where the goal post and the cross bar meet (a goal that hits this area and is nearly unstoppable)

Wall – for a free kick, defensive players line up side by side ten yards in front of the ball (to block an area of the goal and help the goalkeeper)

Whip it in – cross the ball into the box at pace.

Winger – a wide midfielder who pushes into the attack