SOCCER 101
SOCCER GLOSSARY

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z

A
"A ball in the back of the net knows no gender." a term used to let a coed team that not only boys can score.

Advantage 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. See also Against the Run of Play, Break, Counterattack and Fast Break.

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.

Advantages situations where a team has possession of the ball and outnumbers the opposition near the opposing goal.

Against the Run of Play an attack launched by a defending team soon after it regains possession of the ball. A team that is slow to change from offense to defense are likely to be scored on by counterattacks. Generally, the quicker a counterattack can be launched the more likely that team is to score because the opposing team's defense is usually not ready for the assualt. In Basketball this would be called a Fast Break. See also Advantage, Break, Counterattack and Fast Break.

AFC (Asian Football Confederation) the governing body of soccer in Asia; based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; president is Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah of Malaysia and general secretary is Peter Velappan also of Malaysia; founded in 1954; current membership stands at 41 nations; had three guaranteed slots in the 1998 World Cup, and Iran claimed a fourth spot by eliminating Australia from the Oceania zone.

Aggregate Goals the total number of goals scored by a team from more than one match. Aggregate goals are used when two teams are tied with points in a league or tournament. For instance if New York plays Boston and New York wins the first game 3-0 and Boston wins the next game 4-2, New York would win because they scoref 5 aggregate (total) goals to Boston's 4. If teams are than tied at aggregate goals, than another method is used to determine a winer.

All Ball phrase that coaches and parents like to yell when they feel that a tackle was properly made.  Usually this is a pre-emptive strike yelled just at the referee just before the referee pulls out a yellow or red card to signify that it was a foul.

American Football what the rest of the world calls our pointy football. See also Gridiron Football.

Arc the quarter circle at each corner of the field in which the ball is placed for a corner kick.

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.

Assistant Referee prior to 1996 they were known as linesmen/lineswomen. There are two per game.  Their job mainly consists of signaling out of bounds, goal kicks, corner kicks, and offsides positions and to assist the Center referee. See also Linesmen and Linesperson.

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.

Attacker any player on the team that has possession of the ball. See also Central Forward, Forward, Goal Poacher, Offensive Player, Poacher, Striker, and Target Man.

Attacking Midfielder the most forward-playing midfielder, playing right behind the forwards; they support the offense by providing passes to forwards to set up goals. See also Withdrawn Forward.

Attacking Team the team that has possession of the ball. Also see Offensive Team and On Offense.

Away clear the ball out of the area it is in, usually the Penalty Area.

AYSO (American Youth Soccer Organization) an administrative body of youth soccer which sets rules and provides information and equipment to youth league referees, coaches and player. Also known as a runaway soccer organization.

B
Back a defender.

Back Door the area on the opposite side of the goal mouth from where a cross or comer kick was taken, extremely tough for goalkeepers to cover.

Back Header a player's use of their head to direct the ball backwards.

Back Heel a type of pass or shot used to move the ball backwards by striking it with the heel of the foot.

Back Four originally, this term described 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. Lately this term is a reference to a system of play which describes defensive responsibilities in a zonal manner.

Back Tackle an attempt by a defender to take the ball away from a ball carrier by swinging the defender's leg in front of the ball from behind.

Backswing the distance a kicker brings their kicking foot behind himself before kicking the ball.

Badge the symbol used to represent a club or team and to distinguish itself from others. The symbols are generally worn as a patch on the jersey over the heart (right side of the chest). These symbols range in size, color, shape and meaning and generally have signifigance to the regions they represent. Many of the unique identifiers in this symbol are club/team bame, location, date founded, religious symbols, slogans, geographic indicators, etc. See also Crest, Logo, and Shield.

Balance the positioning of "third defenders" in such a manner that the defensive team maintains their shape and effectiveness. Generally the shape of the defense is intended to eliminate an easy pass by your opponent, and to eliminate a kick upfield to a advantgeous position for your opponent.

"Ball" action of going for a loose ball; for example, "Gary's ball"; yelling "mine" may be construed as ungentlemanly conduct, trying to deceive an opponent verbally.

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 to Hand an unintentioned handling of a ball by a player other than the goal-keeper in the Penalty Area. This action is not deliberate and requires no penalty. In other words movement of the ball into the players hand. This is the opposite of Hand-to-Ball which means movement of the hand into the ball which is considered as a deliberate action by the player and is penalized. See all Handball.

Ball Watchers defensive players that focus on the ball exclusively, while they lose track of attacking players and the movement of those attackers to get into position to receive the ball.

Banana Kick a kick (usually a long corner kick) that curves so much that it take the shape of a banana. The idea is to curve the ball from the corner directly into the goal.

Baseball Throw A type of throw used by goalkeepers to move the ball over medium distances.

Bastard in Black a not so affectionate name for the referee. See also Referee and Man in the Middle.

Beckenbauer Sweeper because New York Cosmos' Franz Beckenbauer was one of the most complete players ever, he transformed the sweeper into both an attack and defense position during the late 1960s' and changed the game forever.

Behind the Defender the area between a defender and their goal.

Bending Runs runs made by players on the team with the ball that are not straight. If a player runs straight down the field in front of a teammate they can't receive a pass since their back is to the passer. By making a bending run they are always in a position "open" to a pass.

Bicycle Kick when a player kicks the ball in mid-air backwards and over their own head, usually making contact above waist level; an acrobatic shot. Made famous by Pele of the New York Cosmos but invented in Chile. See also Scissors Kick and Chileno.

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.

Bolt an old fashioned name for a center back, which later evolved into a sweeper. See also Libero, Stopper and Sweeper.

Bomb a hopeless, long, wild, desperation shot from long out that remarkably results in a goal. See also Bomb.

Booked a term referring to a player's name being written down by a referee for either a yellow or red card infraction.

"Boot It" clearing the ball from danger by kicking it upfieldor or out of bounds. The kick usually has no intended receiver and is usually done to relieve pressure in the goal area.

Boots British term for soccer shoes. What Americans refer to as cleats. See also Cleats.

Brazilian Soccer term used to describe the Brazilian way of playing. Tends to be very creative, higly technical dribbling, passing and all around play. Brazilians are thought to be the best nation of footballers in the world. See also Samba Soccer.

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. See also Advantage, Against the Run of Play, Counterattack and Fast Break.

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.

Bulge in the Old Onion Bag phrase used to describe a scored goal. See also Goooooooooaaaaaaaaallllllllll.

Bundesliga The 1st division (top) German professional football league.

Bunker Defense a defensive formation which puts the majority of a team behind the ball in an effort to ensure the attacking team does not score. This tactic gives the defending team little or no chance to score. It is used when a team does not want the opposing team to score and usually results in very little creative or entertaining soccer. The best offensive tactic against this frustrating defensive system is to stretch the defenders as much as possible with overlaps, counterattacks and playing the ball wide as much as possible because going straight at goal will be nearly impossible. See also Packed Defense.

By Line the field boundary running along its width at each end. Runs right across the front of the goal; the line which a ball must completely cross for a goal to be scored. See also End Line and Goal Line.

C
CAF (Confederation Africaine de Footbal) represents African soccer; based in Cairo, Egypt; president is Issa Hayatou of Cameroon and general secretary is Mustapha Fahmy of Egypt; founded in 1956; current membership stands at 51 nations; was represented by five nations in the 1998 World Cup.

Calcio Italian word for soccer. See also Football, Fussbal, Futbol, Futebol, Soccer and Voetbal.

Call a decision made by the referee.

Cap recognition earned by a player for each appearance in an international game for their country. Originally a player was given a hat or "cap" on their first national team appearance.

Cards soccer is often played between players and fans who may not speak each other's language, so the card system was devised as the universal symbol of fouls.

Carry to dribble the ball.

Carrying the Ball a foul called on a goalkeeper when he takes more than 4 steps while holding or bouncing the ball.

Caught Flat-Footed situation where a defender is caught standing still or too slow to react to a play because they were not mobile at the onset of the play. To counteract this, defenders move around on situtations where this might happen such as corner kicks.

Caution A disciplinary action taken by the referee against a player or a coach for misconduct. The player is shown a yellow card; a second yellow card brings a red card and a player is ejected from the match.

Center a pass from a player located near the sideline towards the middle of the field; used to get the ball closer to the front of the goal. See also Cross, Crossing Pass and Service.

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. See also Center Spot.

Center Line a line that divides the field in half along its width. It is parallel to the goals. See also Midfield Line.

Center Spot a small circular mark inside the center circle that denotes the center of the field from which kickoffs are taken to start or restart the game. See also Center Circle.

Central Defender a player who guards the area directly in front of their own goal in a zone defense; does not exist in a man-to-man defense.

Central Forward a team's most powerful and best-scoring forward who plays towards the center of the field. See also Attacker, Forward, Goal Poacher, Offensive Player, Poacher, Striker and Target Man.

Central Midfielder the versatile midfielder most responsible for organizing play in the midfield area, creating scoring opportunities for the attackers, linking offense with defense and often a team's energetic and creative leader. See also Creative Midfielder, Engine Room, Midfield Maestro, Midfield General and Two-Way Midfielder.

Chaining linking drills together so that complicated skills can be learned by a series of simple steps.

Challenge another term for challenging an opponent with the ball. See also Challenging.

Challenging when a player challenges their opponent. The most direct way to challenge is to tackle, however it is not always the best. Intercepting a pass is the best way of challenging but leaves the defender in a bad position to recover if they are not successful. See also Challenge.

Charge to run into an opponent; legal if done from the front or side of the ball carrier; illegal against a player without the ball or from behind.

Charging a method of unbalancing the player who has possession, or is attempting to gain possession of the ball. The maneuver of using a "shoulder" (actually from elbow up to and including the shoulder) against an opponent’s shoulder to gain an advantage; permissible only when the ball is playable (i.e. within 3 feet).

Cheeky description of a play that is very high risk and usually technically difficult. Examples of cheeky plays are bicycle kicks, back heels, nutmegs, through passes, etc.

Chest Trap when a player uses their chest to slow down and control a ball in the air.

Chileno when a player kicks the ball in mid-air backwards and over their own head, usually making contact above waist level; an acrobatic shot. Made famous by Pele of the New York Cosmos but invented in Chile. See also Bicycle Kick and Scissors Kick.

Chip a high soft kick. To lift a ball over another player's heads. See also Lob and Loft.

Chip Pass a pass lofted into the air from a player to a teammate; used primarily to evade a defender by kicking the ball over their head because a pass on the ground will be intercepted.

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.

Chunking spatial awareness of other players and positions.

Clear to kick the ball away from one's goal. See also Clearing.

Clearing the act 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). See also Clear.

Cleats the metal, plastic or rubber points in the bottom of a soccer shoe used to provide a player with traction; term also used to refer to the shoes themselves. See also Boots.

Clinical Goal a goal scored that was shot and scored perfectlly. A goal that could not have been done any better. See also Polished Finish, Top Drawer Strike and World Class Goal.

Clogged Midfield when the defense has made it virtually impossible for the offense to attack up the middle of the field by sheer numbers and high pressure. To counter this tactic an offense looks to play the ball wide and attack down the flanks and avoiding the center of the field.

Close Down phrase used to tell a player to pressure the player with the ball immediately. See also Pressure.

Club a team that plays in a league. Not to be confused with a team. In soccer a National team is generally referred to as a team.

Coachable Moment a quick freeze of the action during a drill. The coach blows their whistle and the players freeze in their positions. The coach gets in, makes an observation or point, and then immediately gets back out. No preaching and no long drawn out speeches. This is the consensus pick among coaches as the best way to coach drills.

Coerver Method famous Dutch coach Weil Coerver's philosophy of soccer moves and total soccer concepts that rely on lots of repetition to gain ball handling skills.

Collecting the technique of catching a soccer ball with some part of the body and bringing it under control.

CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Footbal)  represents the region of North and Central America and the Carribean basinl; based in New York; president is Jack Warner of Trinidad & Tobago and general secretary is Chuck Blazer of the United States; founded in 1961; current membership stands at 30 nations; was represented by three nations in 1998 World Cup.

CONMEBOL (Confederacion Sudamericana de Futbol)  represents South American soccer region; based in Asuncion, Paraguay; president is Nicolas Leoz of Paraguay and general secretary is Eduardo Deluca of Argentina; founded in 1916; current membership stands at 10 nations; was represented by four qualifying teams plus defending champion Brazil in the 1998 World Cup.

Consolation Match a tournament game played between the losers of the 2 semifinal matches to determine the third-place team.

Contain a term to tell a defensive player to slow down an offense to get adequate defense in place.

Copa America one of the oldest international soccer events, the Copa America pits the national soccer teams of the CONMEBOL; recently two teams from the CONCACAF -- the United States and Mexico -- have competed as invited members; the tournament began 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; Argentina has dominated this tournament.

Copa Libertadores 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; Argentine clubs have had more success than any other two South American national leagues combined. It is one of the most prestigious club competitions in the world.

Corner 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; awarded to an attacking team when the ball crosses the goal line last touched by the defending team. A kick made by the attacking team from the corner arc on the side of the field where the ball went out of play. A corner kick is awarded when the ball is last touched by a defensive player and goes out of play over the goal line without resulting in a goal. Opponents must be at least 10 yards away from the ball when the kick is taken. A goal may be scored directly (without being touched by another player) from a corner kick. See also Corner Kick.

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. See also Corner Area.

Corner Area 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 area. See also Corner Arc.

Corner Flag the flag located at each of the 4 corners of the field, inside the corner area. See also Flag.

Corner Kick 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; awarded to an attacking team when the ball crosses the goal line last touched by the defending team. A kick made by the attacking team from the corner arc on the side of the field where the ball went out of play. A corner kick is awarded when the ball is last touched by a defensive player and goes out of play over the goal line without resulting in a goal. Opponents must be at least 10 yards away from the ball when the kick is taken. A goal may be scored directly (without being touched by another player) from a corner kick. See also Corner.

Counterattack an attack launched by a defending team soon after it regains possession of the ball. A team that is slow to change from offense to defense are likely to be scored on by counterattacks. Generally, the quicker a counterattack can be launched the more likely that team is to score because the opposing team's defense is usually not ready for the assualt. In Basketball this would be called a Fast Break. See also Advantage, Against the Run of Play, Break and Fast Break.

Cover defensive support. When a defender challenges for possession of the ball their teammates should support/cover them from behind.

Crafty Play starting a play that many players and spectators would not have thought of. Craftiness on the soccer field tends to be the use of technical skills such as skillful dribbling or passing. The most crafty players on the field tend to be Midfielders because they usually are the players who set up scoring opportunities. See also Creative Play.

Creating Space a player draws a mark away from their teammates or away from the area that they want open. The most obvious use of this is to draw defenders out of the box on set plays (i.e. corner kicks) so that a player on the same team can use that space to receive, shoot or head the ball.

Creative Midfielder the central midfielder responsible for creating scoring opportunities for the attackers and other players with visionary passes to start plays that end up with goal scoring opportunities. Usually this player is an excellent dribbler and passer of the ball. See also Central Midfielder, Engine Room, Midfield Maestro, Midfield General and Two-Way Midfielder.

Creative Play starting a play that many players and spectators would not have thought of. Creativity on the soccer field tends to be the use of technical skills such as skillful dribbling or passing. The most creative players on the field tend to be Midfielders because they usually are the players who set up scoring opportunities. See also Crafty Play.

Crest the symbol used to represent a club or team and to distinguish itself from others. The symbols are generally worn as a patch on the jersey over the heart (right side of the chest). These symbols range in size, color, shape and meaning and generally have signifigance to the regions they represent. Many of the unique identifiers in this symbol are club/team bame, location, date founded, religious symbols, slogans, geographic indicators, etc. See also Badge, Logo and Shield.

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; used to give the teammate a good scoring opportunity. A pass in which the ball is kicked from one side of the field to the other side. A pass usually made from either flank of the field and aimed at being headed or kicked in goal by another teammate. See also Center, Crossing Pass and Service.

Crossbar the horizontal beam that forms the top of a goal and sits on top of the two posts; it is 24 feet long and supported 8 feet above the ground.

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; used to give the teammate a good scoring opportunity. A pass in which the ball is kicked from one side of the field to the other side. A pass usually made from either flank of the field and aimed at being headed or kicked in goal by another teammate. See also Cente, Cross and Service.

Cushioning a method of taking the pace out of the ball and making it easier to control by stopping it against part of your body before you kick it.  See also Deadening the Ball.

Cut Back dribbling the ball backwards in the reverse way of the goal in an attempt to keep possession of the ball.

Cut Down the Angle when the goalie comes out of the goal several feet to make themself closer and larger to an attacker, leaving the attacker less open net to shoot at.

Cut Off when a defensive player keeps their body between an attacker and the defender's goal, forcing the attacker out towards the sidelines and thus making them less dangerous to score a goal. See also Goalside and Sidelining.

Cut Off the Line a defensive tactic against teams that throw "down the line" on throw-ins.

D
Dangerous Play when a player attempts a play that the referee considers dangerous to that player or others. Play that is likely to cause injury. Examples are high kicking, playing while lying on the ground, or playing the ball while it is in the possession of the goalkeeper.

Deadening the Ball a method of taking the pace out of the ball and making it easier to control by stopping it against part of your body before you kick it.  See also Cushioning.

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. See also Defensemen and Fullback.

Defending Team the team that does not have possession of the ball. See also On Defense.

Defense a team's function of preventing the opposition from scoring.

Defensemen the 3 or 4 players on a team whose primary task is to stop the opposition from scoring. See also Defender and Fullback.

Defensive Midfielder the player positioned just in front of their team's defense; they are often assigned to mark the opposition's best offensive player. See also Midfield Anchor.

Defensive Pressure when one or more defenders closely mark a ball carrier to harass them into losing the ball.

Defensive Stance Defensive positioning in which a defender stays  an arms length from the ball handler, knees bent and weight on the balls of their  feet. They than align themselves  with the attacker from the front and slightly to one side in such a way where the attacker will be forced to move to a position of weakness (toward the sideline, or to the side of their weaker foot).

Deflection the ricochet of a ball after it hits a player.

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. This is usually employed at the end of a game by the side who is ahead in goals in an attempt to make sure they win the game. See also Jockeying.

Direct Free Kick a free kick that is awarded for substantial infractions of the rules such as fouls that involve physical contact such as tripping, holding,  pushing, tackles from behind,   jumping into an opponent, handballs by field players or for a handball by the goalkeeper when they are outside of the penalty area. Opponents must be at least 10 yards away from the ball (opposing players may stand on their own goal line between the goal posts), but the player taking the kick may do so without waiting if they wish. The ball is not in play until it has traveled its own circumference. The ball must be stationary when kicked and the kicker may not touch the ball a second time until it has been played by another player (of either team). A free kick can score by going directly into goal. It does not have to be touched by anyone other than the kicker.

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. Right foot dominanted players tend to play on the right side of the field and left foot dominated players tend to play on the left side of the field. Generally, the best players in the world are not dominant with either feet but equally dangerous with both.

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. See also "Line".

Draw a game that ends with a tied score. See also Tie Game.

The Draw the selection of teams for a tournament in order to fairly place them into playing groups. This process is used almost every major tournament including the World Cup, European Championship, etc.

Dribble running with the ball at the fee and playing it on every step or every other step. Used in close proximity to an opponent. Action of a player who advances the ball with a series of short taps with the feet.

Dribbler a player who advances the ball while controlling it with their feet.

Driving playing the ball well forward and running after it. Used to accelerate away from an opponent. See also Running with the Ball.

Drop a soft one-touch pass to a teammate; usually backwards in negative space, for them to possess or shoot. See also Lay Off.

Drop Ball a method of restarting a game where the referee drops the ball between 2 players facing each other. The ball is in play after it touches the ground. A drop ball restarts the game after play is stopped for no penalty situation (e.g. after an injury). The ball is dropped where it was last in play or at the nearest point outside the penalty area. A goal may be scored directly from a drop ball.

Drop Kick when a goalkeeper drops the ball from their hands and kicks it before it hits the ground. See also Punt.

E
Early Service to cross or pass the ball into the 18 Yard box quickly. This puts the ball far enough out that the keeper has to risk coming out of the goal after the ball and leaving an undefended "empty" net. The reason that attackers like an early service is that the ball is served high and behind the sweeper and fullbacks who have to risk turning their backs to the attackers to clear the ball. They also risk an "Own Goal" if they play the ball wrong.

18 Yard Box  a rectangular area 44 yards wide by 18 yards deep with its long edge on the goal line; the goalkeeper may use their hands to block or control the ball only within this area. Large area (18 x 44 yd. on a full size field) in front of goal in which any of the "direct kick" fouls by the defending team result in a penalty kick. Also delimits the area where the goalie can use their  hands. The penalty area includes the goal area. See also Goal Area, Goal Box and Penalty Area.

Empty Net a goal without a keeper in front of it. Often the goal is emptied on purpose late in a match by the trailing team in order to get numbers up on the offensive end of the field. Other times the keeper is just caught out too far and a player chips a shot over their head into the open goal.

End Line the field boundary running along its width at each end. Runs right across the front of the goal; the line which a ball must completely cross for a goal to be scored. See also By Line and Goal Line.

Engine Room the versatile midfielder(s) most responsible for organizing play in the midfield area, creating scoring opportunities for the attackers and linking the offense with defense. See also Central Midfielder, Creative Midfielder, Midfield Maestro, Midfield General and Two-Way Midfielder.

English Football Association often used to refer to the English Football Association of English soccer clubs which was founded in 1863. Along with FIFA and other football associations, helps maintain the rules of soccer. See also The FA.

EPL (English Premier League) the 1st division (top) English professional football league.

Escort a defensive move using the attackers own momentum and no passing lanes to "escort" the attacker out of bounds.

Escort Him Out of Bounds defensive delaying tactic used against teams that tend to dribble too deeply into the corners before serving their crosses into the mouth of the goal. As long as the attacker is going wide the defender will try to deny the cross while defending against a cut-back dribble into the middle. This defense often pushes the attacker into an error so deep that they carry or shoot the ball over the goal line.

European Champions League a club competition; in addition to the UEFA Cup, which matches clubs which won their national leagues the previous year in a head-to-head, home-and-away tournament. The league is an elimination tournament and is played in addition to the regular league schedule. It is one of the most prestigious club competitions in the world.

European Cup UEFA sanctioned competition which occurs every four years between World Cup finals. The field includes national teams from throughout Europe that have passed a qualifying tournament. The tournament was started in 1960 and is thought to be the most competitive national tournament outside of the World Cup.

European Cup Winner's Cup a recently ended club competition pitting the winners of league cups in the prior year in head-to-head competition. Cup tournaments were opened to all divisions of national leagues, meaning that quite a few surprise teams found their way into the European Cup Winners Cup tournament. This tournament was an elimination, home-and-away tournament.

Extra Time time added to the end of any period according to the referee's judgment of time lost due to player injuries or intentional stalling by a team. Generally between 1-3 minutes but it is up to the discretion of the referee to add as much as they see fit. See also Injury Time.

F
The FA (Football Association) often used to refer to the English Football Association of English soccer clubs which was founded in 1863. Along with FIFA and other football associations, helps maintain the rules of soccer. See also English Football Association.

Fake a move by a player meant to deceive an opposing player. Used by a ball carrier to make a defender think the ball carrier is going to dribble, pass or shoot in a certain direction when they are not. See also Feint.

Far and Wide spread out using the width and length of the field.

Far Post goal post farthest from the ball.

Fast 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. See also Advantage, Against the Run of Play, Breal and Counterattack.

Feint a move by a player meant to deceive an opposing player. Used by a ball carrier to make a defender think the ball carrier is going to dribble, pass or shoot in a certain direction when they are not. See also Fake.

Field the rectangular area where soccer matches are played. See also Pitch.

Field Players any of the 11 players on the field except a goalkeeper. This distinction is used to note the big differences between goalies and all other players on the field because a goalie's unique abilities and responsibilities.

FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) world governing body of soccer that was  founded in 1904 and based in Zurich, Switzerland. The  president is Joseph "Sepp" Blatter of Switzerland and the current membership stands at 203 nations.

FIFA World Cup the international soccer competition held by FIFA every 4 years between the top professional teams in the world, pitting nation against nation; the most watched event in the world, attracting a television audience of over 3 billion viewers. Held in a host country with national teams representing 32 countries (increased from 24 following the 1994 World Cup); 30 teams qualify in competitions with automatic bids going to the past champion and host nation; the tournament has been played every four years since 1930, with the exception of 1942 and 1946 due to World War II; only seven countries have won the World Cup Brazil (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994); Germany (1954, 1974, 1990); Italy (1934, 1938, 1982); Uruguay (1930, 1950); Argentina (1978, 1986); England (1966); and France (1998). The 2002 World Cupis to be the first co-hosted tournament in Japan and South Korea. FIFA President Sepp Blatter has stated the desire to make the World Cup every two years after the international uniformed soccer calendar is in place. See also World Cup.

FIFA World Cup Trophy established in 1974 to replace the Jules Rimet Trophy. West Germany became the first winners of the FIFA World Cup Trophy in 1974. See also World Cup Trophy.

50-50 Ball a pass that neither attacker nor defender have an advantage of winning possesion. See also Hospital Ball and Hospital Pass.

Filling In temporarily covering a teammate's position.

Finish the ability to complete an offensive play with a shot on goal. See also Put Away and Score.

Finisher a striker who has the ability to "put away" or score on the opportunites given to them.

Finishing completing an offensive play with a shot on goal.

First Time Ball passing a ball without stopping or controlling it first. The ball is received and propelled in a single movement. See also One Touch Pass.

First Touch shooting a ball without stopping or controlling it first. See also One Time.

Flags these are the flags that are placed at the four corners of the field markingthe corners of the field. These flags stand at least 5 feet high. See also Corner Flags.

Flanks the sides of the fields. See also Wings.

Flat Back Four a popular defensive formation that relies on lots of support. The positioning of the last four defenders in a line across the field, so that they are able to take advantage of the offsides rule and reducing the opportunity for the attacking forwards to move close to their goal.

Flick a quick header.

Flick Header a player's use of their head to deflect the ball.

Flubbed a Chance missing a good opportunity to score a goal.

Follow Through the distance a player's foot travels in the direction of the ball after they have kicked it.

Foot Trap a player's use of the bottom or sides of their foot to control a rolling or low bouncing ball.

Football name for soccer everywhere except in the USA. This is also what American's call their popular team sport which evolved from soccer and rugby. See also Calcio, Fussbal, Futbol, Futebol, Soccer and Voetbal.

Formation the arrangement into positions of players on the field. When listed as numbers formations always leave the goalkeeper off and work from the defensive end to the offensive end. For example, a 4-3-3 formation places 4 defenders, 3 midfielders and 3 forwards on the field.

Forward the 1, 2, 3 or 4 players on a team who are responsible for most of a team's scoring. They play in front of the rest of their team where they can take most of the shots. Player who functions primarily in the attacking third of the field and whose major responsibility is to score goals. See also Attacker, Central Forward, Goal Poacher, Offensive Player, Poacher, Striker, and Target Man.

Forward Line the 2, 3 or 4 forwards who work together to try and score goals.

Forward Pass a pass made towards the opposition's goal.

Foul a violation of the rules for which an official assesses a free kick.

4-2-4 a formation that consists of 4 defenders, 2 midfielders and 4 forwards. Made famous by the lighting-quick World Cup champion Brazilians in 1958, the two deep wing backs initiated attacks along the touchlines, transforming into an awesome 2-4-4.

4-3-3 a formation that consists of 4 defenders, 3 midfielders and 3 forwards; the most common formation used by teams.

4-4-2 a formation that consists of 4 defenders, 4 midfielders and 2 forwards also one of the most popular formations currently used by many teams.

Free Kick a kick awarded to a player for a foul committed by the opposition; the player kicks a stationary ball without any opposing players within 10 feet of him.

Friendly a match that does not count in official standings (e.g., not a World Cup qualifying match). See also Practice Match or Scrimmage.

Front Header the striking of a ball in the air by a player's forehead; the most common type of header.

Front Runner an attacking player who often waits upfield and acts as a target player.

Front Tackle an attempt by a defender to kick the ball away from an attacker by approaching him from a head-on position.

Fullback a rear defender. See also Defender and Defensemen.

Funnel an imaginary funnel shape on the field with the wide portion of the funnel originating at the points where the mid-field line meets the touch-lines and the narrow end of the funnel pouring into the mouth of the defending goal. This is a term used by the defense to get the opponent out of the funnel area where the angle on shots is good.

Fussbal German word for soccer. See also Calcio, Football, Futbol, Futebol, Soccer and Voetbal.

Futbol Spanish word for soccer. See also Calcio, Football, Fussbal, Futebol, Soccer and Voetbal.

Futebol Portuguese word for soccer. See also Calcio, Football, Fussbal, Futbol, Soccer and Voetbal.

G
Gameday American term for the day of a game or round of play. See also Match and Matchday.

"Get it out of there!" an obvious call to kick the ball out from in front of the goal.

Get Square an offensive tactic of getting ten to twenty yards away from a teammate who possesses the ball at a 90 degree angle (formed between the teammate and the goal. This is an attempt to give the ball carrier an option for passing if they cannot find a forward teammate to pass to.

Give and Go Pass a series of passes where one player passes to a nearby teammate and then sprints forward to open spaceto  receive a pass in return. See also Wall Pass.

Goal a ball that crosses the goal line between the goalposts and below the crossbar for which a point is awarded.   A one point score occurring when the whole of the ball passes entirely over the goal line, between the vertical goal posts, and under the horizontal crossbar. A goal is not scored if the ball was not touched by another player (of either team) after an indirect free kick, goal kick, kick off, or throw in. Also the name for the 8-foot high, 24-foot wide structure consisting of two posts, a crossbar and a net into which all goals are scored.

Goal Area the rectangular area 20 yards wide by 6 yards deep in front of each goal from which all goal kicks are taken; inside this area, it is illegal for opposing players to charge a goalie not holding the ball. Area (20 x 6 yd. on a full-size field) marked within the penalty area, and directly in front of goal, from which all goal kicks originate. See also 18 yard box, Goal Box and Penalty Area.

Goal Box the rectangular area 20 yards wide by 6 yards deep in front of each goal from which all goal kicks are taken; inside this area, it is illegal for opposing players to charge a goalie not holding the ball. Area (20 x 6 yd. on a full-size field) marked within the penalty area, and directly in front of goal, from which all goal kicks originate. See also 18 yard box, Goal Area and Penalty Area.

Goal Kick a type of restart where the ball is kicked from inside the goal area away from the goal; awarded to the defending team when a ball that crossed the goal line was last touched by a player on the attacking team. Taken by any defending player to restart the game after the ball goes out of play over the goal line, having last been touched by an attacking player. It may be taken from any point within the half of the goal area nearest where the ball went out. All opposing players must stand outside the penalty area. To be in play, the ball must leave the penalty area (inbounds); otherwise the kick is retaken.

Goal Line the field boundary running along its width at each end. Runs right across the front of the goal; the line which a ball must completely cross for a goal to be scored. See also By Line and End Line.

Goal Poacher an attacker that usually roams around the penalty box and attempts to put away loose balls, sloppy passes and other non-traditional ways of scoring. See also Attacker, Central Forward, Forward, Goal Poacher, Offensive Player, Poacher, Striker, and Target Man.

Goalie the player positioned directly in front of the goal who tries to prevent shots from getting into the net behind them; the only player allowed to use their hands and arms, though only within the penalty area. Player who functions primarily in the penalty area and whose major responsibility is to prevent the opponents’ shots from entering the goal for a score. The goalkeeper is the only player allowed to touch or pick up the ball with their hands, and may only do so when the ball is within their own penalty area. The keeper is the team’s last line of defense. See also Goalkeeper and Keeper.

Goalkeeper the player positioned directly in front of the goal who tries to prevent shots from getting into the net behind them; the only player allowed to use their hands and arms, though only within the penalty area. Player who functions primarily in the penalty area and whose major responsibility is to prevent the opponents’ shots from entering the goal for a score. The goalkeeper is the only player allowed to touch or pick up the ball with their hands, and may only do so when the ball is within their own penalty area. The keeper is the team’s last line of defense. See also Goalie and Keeper.

Goalmouth the front opening of each goal where the ball may enter.

Goalposts the two vertical beams located 24 feet apart which extend 8 feet high to form the sides of a goal and support the crossbar. See also Posts.

Goalside keeping an opponent with or without the ball towards the outside touchline. See also Cut Off and Sidelining.

Golden Goal where a game ends with the scoring of a goal in overtime rather than by the expiration of an extra time period. Used in some international soccer tournaments; particularly in Europe, the World Cup and now in the MLS. See also Sudden Death.

Good Ball a good pass to a teammate.

Goooooooooaaaaaaaaallllllllll drawn out word "goal" used to describe a scored goal. Made famous by hispanic soccer announcer Andres Cantor. See also Bulge in the Old Onion Bag.

Grass Cutter a shot that either barely skims the field or bounces on it's way to the goal. See also Lawn Mower.

Gridiron Football what the rest of the world calls our pointy football. See also American football.

H
Hacking kicking an opponent's legs.

Half and Half it's a spatial/angle concept putting the goalkeeper in center of the attacker's shooting angle allowing the goalkeeper the best defensive position in most circumstances.

Half Line the line across the middle of the field, dividing it in half.

Half Volley kicking the ball just as it rebounds off the ground.

Halfback another name for a midfielder. Player who functions primarily in the center (neutral) third of the field and whose principal job is to link the defense and the attack through ball control and passing. See also Linkmen, Mid and Midfielder.

Halftime the intermission time between the 2 periods or halves of a game. Usually between 10-15 minutes. See also Intermission.

Halves the segments of time into which a game is divided. A regulation game played by adults consists of two 45-minutes halves. See also Periods.

Handball illegally touching the ball with the hands or arms, the opposing team is awarded a direct free kick. See also Ball to Hand.

Handle the ability of a goalkeeper in the 18 Yard Box to use their  hands to pick up the ball.

Hand to Ball the deliberate handling of a ball by a player other than the goal-keeper in the Penalty Area. This is considered as a deliberate action by the player and is penalized. In other words movement of the hand towards the ball. This is the opposite of Ball-to-Hand which means a movement of the ball into the players hand which is not deliberate. That action requires no penalty.

Hat Trick 3 or more goals scored in a game by a single player.

Header the striking of a ball in the air by a player's head. A method of scoring, passing and controlling the ball by making contact with the head.

"Heels on the Line" a reminder by coaches to their midfielders  to remain wide.

Help a phrase uttered to a teammate that is in trouble, that thetheir is support nearby and that they have an option to pass the ball that way if they have to.

Hips Open the correct way a player should receivea pass from a teammate. By having hips open to the field in the attacking a player can receive the ball on their back foot without stopping or trapping it and thus can play it forward immediately. Also the "hips open" position allows the player to see the whole field so they can remain aware of open teammates or defenders.

Hook the curved trajectory of a ball due to spin imparted on it by a kicker, such as in a banana kick.

Hospital Ball a pass from one teammate to another that should be crisp but instead is too soft. This results in a pass that becomes a 50/50 ball instead of one that is easily received without being contested by the opposition. See also 50/50 Ball and Hospital Pass.

Hospital Pass a pass that could result in an injury that puts the receiver in the hospital. See also 50/50 Ball and Hospital Ball.

Hungry used to describe how much desire an attacker has for scoring goals. The more hungry a player, the more they want to score. See also Go for Goal Instinct.

IFAB (International Football Association Board)  the organization consisting of 4 British soccer organizations and FIFA that approves all changes in the official international rules of soccer called the 17 Laws.

Illegal Slide Tackle tackles from the front "cleats up" and almost any tackle from the rear are considered illegal by most referees. See also Legal slide Tackle and Slide Tackle.

Illegal Throw in violation of legal throw-in requirements.

In Bounds when a ball is within the boundaries of the field, having not completely crossed a sideline or goal line. See also In Play.

Indirect Free Kick a free kick that is awarded for other fouls that are judged not to be serious such as obstruction, dangerous play or charging. Indirect kicks must touch another player (either team) before the ball goes into the net in order to score. The player kicks a stationary ball without any opposing players within 10 feet of him; a goal can only be scored on this kick after the ball has touched another player. The ball is not in play until it has traveled its own circumference. The ball must be stationary when kicked and the kicker may not touch the ball a second time until it has been played by another player (of either team).

Injury Time time added to the end of any period according to the referee's judgment of time lost due to player injuries or intentional stalling by a team. Generally between 1-3 minutes but it is up to the discretion of the referee to add as much as they see fit. See also Extra Time.

In Play when a ball is within the boundaries of the field and play has not been stopped by the referee. See also In Bounds.

In Space in an area of the field not occupied by other players.

In Touch a ball that crosses the plane of the touch line or goal line is in or out of play. It does not have to make contact with the ground or an object. This means it can be blown in or out of bounds without ever actually touching a player or ground. See also Out of Bounds and Out of Play.

In Two Minds when a player could not decide what to do with the ball. The indecision usually results in a mistake and a loss of possesion.

Instep the top part of the foot where the shoelaces are, used often for shooting and passing.

Instep Drive a straight shot taken with the instep of a player's foot; usually the most powerful and accurate of shots.

Instep Pass a pass made by striking the ball with the instep.

In Swinger a ball that is curving in toward the goal, usually made from a corner kick.

Interception cutting off a pass intended from one opponent to another.

Inter-Continental Cup a club competition consisting of a single match between the winner of the European Champions Cup and the Copa Libertadores of South America. It is usually played in Tokyo since the mid-1980s and it was started in the mid-1960s.

Intermission the 5-minute rest period between periods of a game. See also Halftime.

International Player a player selected to play for their country's national team. Every game the "international" plays earns themselves a cap.

ITOOTR abbreviation meaning In the opinion of the referee which is what matters in any ruling.

J
J-League the 1st division (top) Japanese professional football league.

Jockeying to delay an opponent's attack by getting in their way. Retreating with an attacker to buy time for the rest of the defense to catch up. See also Delaying.

Juggling keeping a ball in the air with any part of the body besides the hands or arms This is used for practice and developing coordination.

Jules Rimet Trophy the trophy given to the World Cup winner between 1930 and 1970, after which it was permanently retired.

K
"Keeper" goalkeeper's command for the ball.

Keeper the player positioned directly in front of the goal who tries to prevent shots from getting into the net behind them; the only player allowed to use their hands and arms, though only within the penalty area. Player who functions primarily in the penalty area and whose major responsibility is to prevent the opponents’ shots from entering the goal for a score. The goalkeeper is the only player allowed to touch or pick up the ball with their hands, and may only do so when the ball is within their own penalty area. The keeper is the team’s last line of defense. See also Goalie and Goalkeeper.

"Keeper's in Charge" Coache's phrase to the keeper to remind them to communicate to all defenders on corner kicks and throw-ins deep in their own territory as to who is to mark which opponent. This is especially important when opponents overload the far post on corner kicks.

Kickoff officially begins the game at each half and restarts play after a goal is scored. The ball must go forward (into the opponent’s half of the field) and is in play after rolling its own circumference (about 27 inches). This was changed in the July 1997 FIFA rules to "the ball must move." The player kicking off must not play the ball again until it has been played by another player (of either team). Opponents must be at least 10 yards away from the ball in their own half of the field when the kick off is taken.

Kit British term for a uniform or jersey.

L
Lack of Shape describes a defense that is poorly organized and not aligned well to deal with the offensive pressure.

Laser a very hard hit shot from far out that has nearly no arc or dip and goes straight. See also Missile.

Law XVIII (18)  is the unwritten law that requires referees to apply common sense to officiating a game. In other words a referee should apply the 17 Laws of the Game so that they do not interfere with the fairness of the game at hand.

Lawn Mower a shot that either barely skims the field or bounces on it's way to the goal.  See also Grass Cutter.

Laws of the Game the 17 main rules for soccer established by FIFA.

Lay Off a soft one-touch pass to a teammate; usually backwards in negative space, for them to possess or shoot. See also Drop.

Lead Pass a pass sent ahead of a moving teammate; into positive space, to arrive at a location at the same time he does. See also Pass into Space and Third Man Running.

League an alliance of teams that organizes sporting competition between each other.

Legal SlideTtackle tackle where the defender gets all or most of the ball from the attacker. See also Illegal Slide Tackle and Slide Tackle.

Legal Throw-In a   throw-in made with both hands. Hands must begin behind the head. The ball can not spin when thrown must be thrown with equal force by both hands. Both feet must remain on the ground. Part of each foot must be on the touch line or behind it. See also Throw-In.

Leg one of multiple matchdays of a round of play.

Libero another name for a sweeper. See also Bolt, Stopper and Sweeper.

"Line" phrase said to a player to deliver the ball to or down the touchline. See also Down the Line.

Linesmen now known as assistant referees. If they are certified, assistant referees may help the referee call fouls, offside and out-of-bounds calls. If they are not certified they are restricted to helping make out-of-bound calls. And they carry a flag to signal their observations. Also Linesperson Person (often a parent volunteer) who assists the referee; one linesperson is assigned to each touchline. Their primary responsibility is to indicate when the ball is out of play (i.e. when the whole of the ball crosses the whole of the touchline or endline). The linesperson also signals which team has the right to put the ball in play again by using their flag to show the direction of play for the restart. See also Assistant Referee and Linesperson.

Linesperson another name for a Linesman. See also Assistant Referee and Linesmen.

Linkmen another name for a midfielders. See also Halfback, Mid and Midfielder.

Lock In a defensive tactive where defenders double team an attacker along the touchline.

Lock On defensive tactic where a defender is to pick up an attacker and mark them very tightly.

Lob a high, soft kick to lift it over another player's heads. See also Chip and Loft.

Loft a high-arcing kick. See also Chip and Lob.

Logo the symbol used to represent a club or team and to distinguish itself from others. The symbols are generally worn as a patch on the jersey over the heart (right side of the chest). These symbols range in size, color, shape and meaning and generally have signifigance to the regions they represent. Many of the unique identifiers in this symbol are club/team bame, location, date founded, religious symbols, slogans, geographic indicators, etc. See also Badge, Crest and Shield.

Lofted Pass a pass used to kick the ball through the air over long distances.

Long Corner a corner kick where the attacking team attempts to kick the ball all the way into the goal box.

L.O.T.G. abbreviation for the Laws of the Game, meaning FIFA's rules.

M
Man in the Middle another name for a referee. See also Bastard in Black and Referee.

"Man On" the call a player makes to a teammate who is closely marked by an opposing player but may not be aware of it.

Man-to-Man a type of defense where each defender is assigned to mark a different forward from the other team. This is   the most common type of defense for national-level teams.

Mark to cover an opponent with or without the ball and to prevent them from passing, receiving or shooting the ball. See also Mark-Up and Marking.

Mark-Up to cover an opponent with or without the ball and to prevent them from passing, receiving or shooting the ball. See also Mark and Marking.

Marking guarding a player; with or without the ball, to prevent them from advancing the ball towards the net, making an easy pass or getting the ball from a teammate. See also Mark and Mar-Up.

Match another name for a soccer game. See also Gameday and Matchday.

Matchday British term for the day of a game or round of play. See also Gameday and Match.

Measure the process of analyzing and understanding the opposition's playing patterns in a man-to-man system. Such ways of gauging opponents is to know if they make certain moves before they shoot, if they have a favorite foot they kick with, do they have favorite passing partners etc. Then a smart player will use that information to gain an advantage during the remainder of the match. For example, if they know that their opponent has a weak left foot they can cheat to their right to tackle away the ball.

Megged short for nutmegged. See also Nutmeg.

Mid short for midfielder. See also Halfback, Linkmen and Midfielder.

Midfield the region of the field near the midfield line; the area controlled by the midfielders.

Midfield Anchor the player positioned just in front of their team's defense; they are often assigned to mark the opposition's best offensive player. See also Defensive Midfielder.

Midfield General the versatile midfielder most responsible for organizing play in the midfield area, creating scoring opportunities for the attackers, linking offense with defense and often a team's energetic and creative leader. See also Central Midfielder, Creative Midfielder, Engine Room, Midfield Maestro and Two-Way Midfielder.

Midfield Line a line that divides the field in half along its width. It is parallel to the goals. See also Center Line.

Midfield Maestro the versatile midfielder most responsible for organizing play in the midfield area, creating scoring opportunities for the attackers, linking offense with defense and often a team's energetic and creative leader. See also Central Midfielder, Creative Midfielder, Engine Room, Midfield General and Two-Way Midfielder.

Midfielder player who functions primarily in the center (neutral) third of the field and whose principal job is to link the defense and the attack through ball control and passing. Tend to be the best passers of the ball and most creative players on a team. See also Halfback, Linkmen and Mid.

Midfielders the 2, 3 or 4 players who link together the offensive and defensive functions of a team; they play behind their forwards.

MLS (Major League Soccer) the 1st division (top) USA professional football league.

"Mine" phrase that signifies a player has intention of gaining possesion of a loose ball. See also "My Ball".

Mismatch when a particular offensive player is far superior to the defender marking him. This is usually the case when an attacker is signifigantly taller than the defender marking him, but it could also mean that the defender is just not as technically skilled as the attacker they are marking.

Missile a very hard hit shot from far out that has nearly no arc and no dip and goes straight. See also Laser.

Move defensive technique where defenders constantly move around so they do not get caught flat footed on a particular play such as a corner kick. Also a move is a way of maneuvering around an opponent, to run around them.

Mugged when an attacker has the ball at their feet and is taken by the defender. See also Robbed, Steal, Stolen Ball and Stripped.

"My Ball" phrase that signifies a player has intention of gaining possesion of a loose ball. See also "Minel".

N
Narrowing the Angle a goalkeeping technique used to reduce the area of the goal that an attacker could shoot. This lowers the odds that the attacker will score unless they hit a shot nearly perfectly to a part of the goal that is unreachable to the keeper.

NASL (North American Soccer League) an outdoor league formed in the USA in 1967 that attracted great international players including Pele, Franz Beckenbauer, George Best, Johan Cruyff, Eusebio, Karl Heinz Granitza, Bobby Moore, Gerd Muller and Giorgio Chinaglia. The most successful and famous club by far were the New York Cosmos who defeated all of the USA clubs easily and international clubs as well, and in 1977 the Cosmos included both Pele and Beckenbauer two of best players ever! The NASL had huge audiences in the 1970s but rising player salaries forced the league to fold in 1985.

National Team a team consisting of the best players in a country chosen to represent it in international competitions such as the World Cup. National team players must be born in that particular nation and/or having heritage from that country. There are national teams for both men and women and at differing age levels including: Under-17, Under-20, Under-23 (Olympics) and the Senior Teams. A player receives a cap only if they play in a senior national team game. Once a player has played for one national team they are not eligible to play for another national team. Some of the oldest national teams in the world are: England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, USA and Canada. It is considered a great honor to be chosen to represent your nation's national team.

NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) college athletic's (including soccer) governing body.

Near Post goal post nearest to the ball. This same post can become the far post as the ball moves to the other side of the field.

Negative Space the area that is in the reverse of the attacking direction. To drop the ball in this space is usually in an effort to keep control and possesion of the ball or to lay off a pass for a teammate to shoot.

Net hemp, jute or nylon cord draped over the frame of the goal and extending behind it; also used to refer to the goal itself. See also Onion Bag.

New York Cosmos  the most succesful/famous soccer club in the history of the USA. They played in the former NASL League from 1971 to 1984. The Cosmos contained many of the world's best players of their day and of all times, including Pele, Franz Beckenbauer, Carlos Alberto, Giorgio Chinaglia and many more. They won 5 NASL Championships, 3 Trans-Atlantic Cups and defeated most of the world's best clubs. In 1977 the Cosmos included both Pele and Beckenbauer two of best players ever! Unfortunaltey, the Cosmos were disbanded in 1984 with the folding of the NASL. There is currently a campaign to get the Cosmos into the MLS, please help out at the Cosmos Campaign.

NFHS (National Federation of State High Schools) national high school athletic's (including soccer) governing body.

Nil a British term meaning the score for one side is zero. Used in the United States until mid twentieth century. Heard often from the British announcers when watching soccer on Fox Sports World.

Nil-Nil a British term meaning that neither team has a goal and the score is tied 0-0.

"Numbers Down"  phrase meant to imply a numerical disadvantage. Their are fewer defenders than the other team has attackers in a third of the field or conversely having fewer attackers than the other team has defenders in a third of the field.

"Numbers Up"  phrase meant to imply a numerical advantage.The opposing team has more attackers than their are defenders in a third of the field or conversely having more attackers than the other team has defenders in a third of the field.

Nutmeg to pass or dribble the ball through the legs of a defender. See also Megged.

O
Obstruction when a defensive player, instead of going after the ball, illegaly uses their body to prevent an offensive player from playing it.

ODP (Olympic Development Program) national program in the USA used to identify, organize and train talented soccer playing youth. The ODP has been in existence since 1977. The program was introduced to help identify potential national team youth players through an organized series of trials which begins at the district level, progresses through the state, region and finally at the national level. The program also serves as a means of development as the better players are brought together for training and prepared for interstate, interregional and international competitions. The development of the players is taking place rapidly as talented players are brought together for training and competition at all levels. The program is open to any youth player. The higher up the ladder a player progresses, the more intense the training and playing become. The regional teams experience both interregional and international competitions on an annual basis. A pool of players is selected for each age group with the rosters changing each year as players develop at different rates.

OFC (Oceania Football Confederation) represents soccer region including Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific island nations;  based in Auckland, New Zealand; president is New Zealander Charles Dembsey and general secretary is New Zealander Josephine King; founded in 1966; current membership stands at 10 nations.

Off the Ball being positioned away from the ball. Actions by players not in possesion of the ball.

Off the Ball Movement movement of players who are not in possession of the ball (Done to create passing and scoring opportunities for teammates).

Offense the function of trying to score goals against the other team.

Offensive Player any player on the team that has possession of the ball. See also Attacker, Central Forward, Forward, Goal Poacher, Poacher, Striker, and Target Man.

Offensive Team the team that has possession of the ball. See also Attacking Team and On Offense.

Official FIFA Ball the officially mandated ball by the governing body of soccer (FIFA). The official size and weight are: 27-28 in. circumference, 14-16 oz.

Official Game Clock the clock that the referees carry on the field so they can signal when each half is over. It does not stop during the game, even when play does. A referee uses their own discretion to add extra time to the game depending on time wasted by either side, injuries and other time not used for play.

Officials the referee and 2 linesmen who work together to make sure the game is played according to the rules of soccer. They are responsible for stopping and restarting play, keeping track of the score and the time remaining and citing violations of the rules and called fouls. They wear uniforms that distinguish them from the players on both teams.

Offside a violation called when a player in an offside position receives a pass from a teammate; an indirect free kick is awarded to the non-offending team. Offside is defined as occurring at the moment the ball is played by one of the attacking players to a teammate. A player is in an offside position if they are nearer to the opponents’ goal line than the ball, unless (a) the player is in their own half of the field, or (b) there are at least two opponents (one may be the goalkeeper) nearer the goal line than the player.
A player is penalized if they are in an offside position AND if, in the judgment of the referee, the player is (a) interfering with play or with an opponent, or (b) seeking to gain an advantage by being in that position. A player is not declared offside (a) merely by being in an offside position; (b) if they receive the ball directly from a goal kick, a corner kick, a throw in, or a drop ball; or (c) if the ball is last played by an opposing player.

Offside Position an attacking player positioned so that fewer than 2 opposing defensive players (usually the goalie and 1 other defender) are between them and the goal they are attacking; a player is not offside if they are exactly even with one or both of these defensive players. Being in an offside position is not the same as offsides and is not illegal unless the player participates in the play or gains an advantage in being offsides.

Offside Trap a play by the defense to catch the attacking team offsides. It is often used on restarts (short corner kicks, deep indirect free kicks and deep throw-ins). The sweeper usually calls out "Trap" as a signal for the fullbacks to pull up past the attackers as soon as the ball is put into play by an attacker.

OGSO acronym for obvious goal scoring opportunity.

On Defense describes a team that does not have possession of the ball. See also Defending Team.

On Offense describes a team in possession of the ball. See also Attacking Team and Offensive Team.

One Time when an attacker strikes a shot off a pass or rebound without stopping the ball to gain control. See also First Touch.

One Touch Pass passing a ball without stopping or controlling it first. The ball is received and propelled in a single movement. See also First Time Ball.

Onion Bag another name for the net of a goal. See also Net.

Onside the opposite of offside. Being found in a legitimate position where a goal scored will count.

Open describes an attacking player who does not have anyone marking them.

Osgood-Schlatters a painful knee condition that many soccer players going through the growth spurts of puberty get.

"Out" phrase used to tell defenders  to move towards the ball, away from the goalline.

Out of Bounds when a ball is wholly outside the boundaries of the field, having completely crossed a sideline or goal line. See also In Touch and Out of Play.

Out of Play when a ball is wholly outside the boundaries of the field or play has been stopped by the referee. See also In Touch and Out of Bounds.

Out Swinger a ball that is curving out away from the goal mouth, usually made from a corner kick. The idea is to curve the corner kick away from the arms of the goalkeeper to an attacker with a clear shot or head at goal.

Outlet Pass when a goaltender or defender passes the ball from close to their own goal toward the other team's goal; used to start a counterattack.

Overhitting kicking the ball too far, so that a teammate is unable to reach it.

Overlap when a winger moves away from the sideline towards the center of the field to create space for a teammate to advance the ball undefended along the side of the field.  The attacking play of a defender going down the touchline past a halfback or winger on the same team.

Overtime the extra periods played after a regulation game ends tied. It is used in in all levels of soccer to produce a winner if a championship, tournament or match calls for one.

Own Goal when a player accidently puts the ball in their own goal which counts as a goal for their opponents.

P
Pace another word for speed.

Packed Defense a defensive formation which puts the majority of a team behind the ball in an effort to ensure the attacking team does not score. This tactic gives the defending team little or no chance to score. It is used when a team does not want the opposing team to score and usually results in very little creative or entertaining soccer. The best offensive tactic against this frustrating defensive system is to stretch the defenders as much as possible with overlaps, counterattacks and playing the ball wide as much as possible because going straight at goal will be nearly impossible. See also Bunker Defense.

Pass using part of the body to hit the ball to a teammate.

Pass Into Space a pass sent ahead of a moving teammate; into positive space, to arrive at a location at the same time he does. See also Lead Pass and Third Man Running.

Passing when a player kicks the ball to their teammate; used to move the ball closer to the opposing goal, to keep the ball away from an opponent or to give the ball to a player who is in a better position to score. See also Service.

Passing On a situation where a defender allows an attacking player to make a run into another zone, releasing him to another defender for marking. This requires good communication among the defending players.

Passive Offsides being in an offsides position but not being involved in or interfering with or gaining an advantage in the play.

Pele the undisputed King of Soccer, best player to have ever played the game and voted the best athlete of the 20th century. Brazilian striker who scored an incredible 1,280 goals in his career. Pele's accomplishments are augmented by his success in international competition, where he was capped 93 times and became the only player to play on 3 world cup championship teams (1958, 1970 and 1974). With 1,324 games played he scored an unbelievable 0.939 goals per game. Widely considered the best player ever to play the game. Pele's impact on the sport cannot be overestimated. Pele exploded onto the world scene in 1958 at the age of 17 scoring six goals in the World Cup, of which two were against Sweden in the final. He played for Santos from 1956-1974, shattering every record for that team, as well as a significant number of Brazilian league records. Pele led Santos to six Brazilian championships during his tenure. His awards are too numerous to mention, but his 19 selections by theProfessional Footballers' Association, 125 goals in 1959, three world cup championship teams, 1965 declaration as a National Treasure by Brazil, and 1980 Sportsman of the Century awards stand out. Little wonder that the world was stunned when he came out of  retirement to play for the New York Cosmos during the 1975 season. His signing at an unprecedented salary (estimated to be a total of $7,000,000 for six years; three as player, and three as "ambassador of the game) brought instant recognition to the NASL and gave the league a genuine chance to establish itself as a major sports league in the USA and gave the sport its best chance of establishing itself in the country. Fans nationwide took notice; to this day many older MLS fans who became fans during the NASL days can point to his signing as what attracted their attention. When one considers the revolution in US soccer that resulted from the attention paid to Pele's signing it is amazing to remember how short his tenure was - less than 2 1/2 seasons, where he scored 39 goals in 64 games, winning recognition as 1976 NASL MVP and leading the Cosmos to victory in Soccer Bowl '77.  After his retirement in 1977, Pele played for both sides in an emotional exhibition game between Cosmos and Santos played to a thundering sellout crowd of 76,000 in a ferocious downpour atGiants Stadium before a national network TV audience. A perfect end to an incredible career. Since then Pele has served as a virtual soccer goodwill ambassador to the world, did extensive commentary in the 1994 world cup. Since 1995 he has been Brazil's Minister of Sports where in 1997, he successfully passed legislation to extensively reform the anachronistic structure of Brazil's league system, taking undue influence and power away from the club owners who had arguably been holding back success for the domestic leagues.

Penalty a punishment given by the referee for a violation of the rules. See also Penalty Kick, Penalty Shot and PK.

Penalty Arc a circular arc whose center is the penalty spot and extends from the top of the penalty area; designates an area that opposing players are not allowed to enter prior to a penalty kick. The arc at the top of the penalty area; no player may be within this area while a penalty kick is being taken.

Penalty Area a rectangular area 44 yards wide by 18 yards deep with its long edge on the goal line; the goalkeeper may use their hands to block or control the ball only within this area. Large area (18 x 44 yd. on a full size field) in front of goal in which any of the "direct kick" fouls by the defending team result in a penalty kick. Also delimits the area where the goalie can use their  hands. The penalty area includes the goal area. See also 18 yard box, Goal Area and Goal Box.

Penalty Kick awarded to the attacking team if the defending team commits a direct free kick violation within the penalty area. Penalty kicks are taken from the penalty mark. All players (of both teams) except the kicker and opposing goalkeeper, must remain on the field of play outside the penalty area and penalty arc. The opposing goalkeeper must stand on the goal line and only allowed to move laterally before and after the shot is taken, between the goal posts. The player taking the kick must kick the ball forward and may not touch the ball a second time until it has been played by another player (of either team). The ball is in play after it has traveled its own circumference. A goal may be scored directly from a penalty kick. For any infringement of the penalty kick rules by (a) the defending team, the referee will allow the kick to proceed, but if a goal does not result, the kick will be retaken; (b) the attacking team, other than the player designated to take the kick, if a goal is not scored it will be disallowed and the kick retaken; (c) by the player taking the penalty kick, committed after the ball is in play, an opposing player will take an indirect free kick at the point where the infraction occurred.
The referee’s whistle always starts the taking of a penalty kick. Any penalty kick taken prior to the referee’s whistle will be retaken using the referee’s whistle as the proper start for the kick. See also Penalty, Penalty Shot and PK.

Penalty Mark a mark on the field from which penalty kicks are takent. It is located 12 yards from the goal line, equally spaced between the goal posts. See also Penalty Spot and Spot.

Penalty Shot a kick taken from the penalty spot by a player against the opposing goalie without any players closer than 10 yards away; awarded for the most severe rule violations and those committed by the defense within its own penalty area; also taken in a tiebreaker to decide a match. See also Penalty, Penalty Kick and PK.

Penalty Spot the small circular spot located 12 yards in front of the center of the goal line from which all penalty kicks are taken; positioned at the center of the penalty arc. See also Penalty Mark and Spot.

Penetrate to advance the ball behind opposing defenders (between them and their goal).

Periods the segments of time into which a game is divided; a regulation game played by adults consists of two 45-minutes halves. See also Halves.

Pinafore the colored bibs worn in practice by players to distinguish each team. See also Pinny.

Pinny short for pinafore. Tthe colored bibs worn in practice by players to distinguish each team. See also Pinafore.

Pitch the rectangular area where soccer matches are played. See also Field.

PK short for penalty kick. See also Penalty, Penalty Kick and Penalty Shot.

Play a generic term  for trapping, dribbling, kicking or heading the ball.

Play On referee's opinion that stopping the play at that point would benefit the team that committed the foul more than the team that was fouled. For example, if a player with a break-away is tripped from behind but the player is able to retain possession and has a chance to shoot on goal the referee would not want to stop the play at that point and charge the defender with a penalty. The referee retains their right to issue a penalty card at a later point in the action. By yelling "Play on" he lets everyone know he is aware of the foul.

Playing Ball Wide offensive tactic of sending the ball to either side of the field for the wingers to attempt an attack from the flanks. This is done when the defense has clogged up the middle of the field and made it nearly impossible for the offense to mount an attack up the middle of the field.

Playoff a tournament that takes place after a season's schedule has been completed. Used to determine a champion. This manner of finding a champion is currently used in Major League Soccer (MLS).

Poacher an attacker that usually roams around the penalty box and attempts to put away loose balls, sloppy passes and other non-traditional ways of scoring. See also Attacker, Central Forward, Forward, Goal Poacher, Offensive Player, Striker, and Target Man.

Point of Attack the side of the field or angle direction that the attacking team is heading towards goal at. When the defense is closing down the attacking team's way to goal, the attackers usually switch the point of attack to a side where there is less defensive coverage.

Points a team statistic indicating its degree of success, calculated as follows: 2 points for a win (3 in the 1994 World Cup), 1 point for a tie and 0 points for a loss. Also, an individual statistic for a player, calculated by totaling 2 points for each goal and 1 point for each assist.

Polished Finish a goal scored that was shot and scored perfectlly. A goal that could not have been done any better. See also Clinical Goal, Top Drawer Strike and World Class Goal.

Positive Space the area on the field that is in the attacking direction. To send a ball/pass into this space is usually in an effort to go towards the goal and score.

Possession control of the ball. It is a statistic that is usually measured in percentage of time a team has possesed the ball as opposed to the other team. For instance, if one team has had 40% of the possesion the other team has had 60% of the possesion. Usually a team that has had more possesion throughout the game is more dominant. However, if a team is good at counterattacking or has just not attempted or converted shots into goals, possesion percentage may not necessarily reflect the outcome of the match.

Posts the two vertical beams located 24 feet apart which extend 8 feet high to form the sides of a goal and support the crossbar. See also Goalposts.

Power Kick a hard, fast shot or kick.

Practice Match a match that does not count in official standings (e.g., not a World Cup qualifying match). See also Friendly or Scrimmage.

Pressurea tight defense. See also Close Down.

Professional Foul a foul committed intentionally, usually by a defender on an attacker just outside the defender's penalty area; used to prevent a scoring opportunity without incurring a penalty shot.

"Pull Up" phrase used to tell the defense to move up the field in a more attacking position. Can also be the command for an off-side trap. See also "Push Up" and "Step".

Punt when a goalie kicks the ball out of their hands. See also Drop Kick.

Push Pass when a player pushes the ball with the inside of their foot to a teammate.

"Push Up" phrase used to tell the defense to move up the field in a more attacking position. Can also be the command for an off-side trap. See also "Pull Up" and "Step".

Put Away to score a goal. See also Finish and Score.

Q
Qualifying Draw the division of teams into groups for a qualifying tournament.

Qualifying Matches matches played whereby the winners gain advancement into a final stage of a tournament. An example is World Cup qualifying matches, which are  held 2 years before the World Cup Finals.

R
Rainbow Kick a form of juggling where players flip a ball from behind themselves, over their heads and in front of them.

Reading the Game being able to anticipate an opponent's moves, see what help teammates need and giving it to them. The more experienced a player is, the better they are at a reading a game because they have seen many different situations already.

Receiver a player who gets a pass from a teammate.

Recovery Runs a looping run made by a defender backward into the center of the field (and behind their sweeper or second defender) after being beaten by an attacker. It is important that the recovery run by a first defender be backward behind the second defender. Younger defenders often make the mistake when they are beaten by an attacker of racing after (in effect trailing) the attacker.

Red Card a card issued by the referee for particularly blatant fouls or abusive language. A player receiving a red card is automatically ejected for the game and their team must play the remainder of the game shorthanded. A team may not substitute for an ejected player.

Referee the official in complete control of a soccer match who's objective is to enforce the rules. The safety of the players is the referee’s main concern as well as keeping time, enforcing the Laws of the Game (see Summary of the FIFA Laws of the Game, this section), stopping and restarting the game for penalties or injuries, cautioning or banishing offenders (including coaches or spectators) and ending the game, if necessary. All decisions by the referee are final. The referee is assisted by two linespersons. They where colors to distinguish themselves apart from both teams.See also Bastard in Black and Man in the Middle.

Regular Season the schedule of games set before the season; consists of all games played before a playoff or tournament is held.

Regulation Time two completed periods of a game, prior to any overtime or tiebreaker.

Reversing the Field a strategy used against aggressive defenses where the attackers place a wing wide (and sometimes an extra forward) on the opposite side of the field from the ball and when an agressive defense runs to the ball the attacking team sends a driving kick into the opposite corner which their wing chases down and crosses or shoots over the back of the defenders. It is an example of attacking an opponent's defense at its weakest point. See also Switching the Field and Switching the Point of Attack.

Robbed when an attacker has the ball at their feet and it is taken by the defender. See also Mugged, Steal, Stolen Ball and Stripped.

Round a stage of a tournament at which teams compete. Some rounds have multiple legs (games/matchdays) and the winner is usually determined on aggregate goals.

Round Robin a type of tournament or stage of a tournament where a single loss eliminates a team from further competition. See also Single elimination.

Run of Play the direction of play by an attacking team towards their opponents goal.

Running with the Ball playing the ball well forward and running after it. Used to accelerate away from an opponent. See also Driving.

S
Samba Soccer term used to describe the Brazilian way of playing. Tends to be very creative, higly technical dribbling, passing and all around play. Brazilians are thought to be the best nation of footballers in the world. They are so technically gifted that they are thought to be dancing with the ball, hence the term Samba Soccer. See also Brazilian Soccer.

Save the act of a goalkeeper in blocking or stopping a shot that would have gone into the goal without their intervention.

Scissors Kick when a player kicks the ball in mid-air backwards and over their own head, usually making contact above waist level; an acrobatic shot. Made famous by Pele of the New York Cosmos but invented in Chile. See also Bicycle Kick and Chileno.

Score to put the ball into the net for a goal. Also, the tally of goals for each team playing in a game. See also Finish and Put Away.

Scoreboard instrument used in a stadium or on a field to let players, coaches, officials and fans know the current score of the game.

Scorers players who have scored goals.

Scoring Opportunity a situation where a team stands a good chance of scoring a goal.

Screening a technique used by a ball carrier to protect the ball from a defender closely marking them; the ball carrier keeps their body between the ball and the defender. See also Shielding.

Scrimmage a match that does not count in official standings (e.g., not a World Cup qualifying match). See also Friendly and Practice Match.

Send Pass a kick an open player.

Sending Off when a player is sent off the field by the referee for serious offenses such as violent conduct or using bad language.

Serie A the 1st division (top) Italian professional football league.

Service another term for passing or crossing a ball for a fellow teammate. See also Center, Cross, Crossing Pass and Passing.

Set Pieces formations and tactics used during restarts; throw-ins, corner kicks, goal kicks, free kicks, and penalty kicks.See also Set Pieces.

Set Play a planned strategy that a team uses when a game is restarted with a free kick, penalty kick, corner kick, goal kick, throw-in or kickoff. See also Set Play.

"Settle" a phrased used to tell a player to settle down and get the ball under control because there is no pressure from the defenders. See also "Time".

Shadow Dribbling a warm-up exercise with two players and one ball. One player dribbles, the other player moves around in open space. The object is for the dirbbler to attempt to keep their ball, by dribbling, in contact with or very near the other players shadow.

Shadow Play a method of coaching which allows players to create movements with out opposition.

Shield the symbol used to represent a club or team and to distinguish itself from others. The symbols are generally worn as a patch on the jersey over the heart (right side of the chest). These symbols range in size, color, shape and meaning and generally have signifigance to the regions they represent. Many of the unique identifiers in this symbol are club/team bame, location, date founded, religious symbols, slogans, geographic indicators, etc. See also Badge, Crest and Logo.

Shielding a technique used by a ball carrier to protect the ball from a defender closely marking them; the ball carrier keeps their body between the ball and the defender. See also Screening.

Shinguards pads that strap onto a player's lower leg to protect the shins from injury.

Shoot to take a shot on the goal. See also Shooting and Shot.

Shooting when a player kicks the ball at the opponent's net in an attempt to score a goal. See also Shoot and Shot.

Shootout a tie-breaking procedure used when teams have tied after playing overtime periods. Teams must use players who were on the field at the end of the last overtime period to take five alternating shots at the opposing goal and goalie. The team ahead at the end of five shots by both teams is the winner. If the score is still tied, the shootout may go to sudden death where the first team to gain a one goal advantage after two players have shot on goal wins. In this case, each team must use players other than the first five and who were also on the field. during the last overtime period.

Short Corner a corner kick that is played to a teammate who is not around the 6 yard box and who is fairly close to the kicker as opposed to a long corner which is kicked directly to a player in front of the goal.

Shorthanded a team playing with less than it's full complement of 11 players.

Shot a ball kicked or headed by a player at the opponent's net in an attempt to score a goal. See also Shoot and Shooting.

Shoulder Charge minimal shoulder-to-shoulder contact by a defender against a ball carrier. The only contact allowed by the rules unless a defender touches the ball first. See also Shoulder Tackle.

Shoulder Tackle a tackle used to get the ball away from an opponent by making shoulder-to-shoulder contact. See also Shoulder Charge.

Shutout preventing the opposition from scoring any goals in a game; for example, a score of 2-0 or 4-0. Goalies are often credited with shutouts because they did not allow any goals to get past them.

Side general term used to identify either the attacking or defending team on the field. The term side is used because soccer teams occupy either 1 of 2 sides of the soccer field.

Sideline a line that runs along the length of each side of the field. See also Touchline.

Sidelining when a defender forces a attacker to dribble to the side of the field, nearer the sideline. See also Cut Off and Goalside.

Single Elimination a type of tournament or stage of a tournament where a single loss eliminates a team from further competition. See also Round Robin.

6 Yard Box the small area in front of the goal similar to the crease in hockey.

Slide Tackle an attempt by a defender to take the ball away or redirect the ball  from the carrier by sliding on the ground feet-first into the ball. See also Illegal Slide Tackle and Legal Slide Tackle.

Small Sided Game a match played with fewer than 11 players per side. This is currently "in" in American recreational soccer because it allows more touches on the ball during a game and promotes ball control and confidence in younger players.

Snapshot a mental picture. Strikers are often told to take a snapshot of the goal (steal a glimpse) so they know the position of the other players. That allows them to shoot on one touch without having to look up at the goal.

Soccer in the late 1800s it was the practice of the well-to-do students at Oxford University in England to shorten the length of some common words. At the same time they would add -er to the end of the word. For example, breakfast became known as "brekkers". There were two forms of "football" being played on campus at the time. One used the Rugby Rules and the other form used the rules governed by the Football Association of London. The prior was called "ruggers" on campus and the latter as "soccer" which was short for association and included the popular "-er" ending used by the "in" students. The phrasing caught on and became the popular nickname for the sport. In the United States it is used to differentiate soccer from what the rest of the world refers to as American Football the pointy variety. In recent years the term soccer has actually become acceptable in the rest of the world. See also Football. See also Calcio, Football, Fussbal, Futbol, Futebol and Voetbal.

Sock the foot and leg covering worn by a player. It is meant to cover the foot and leg up to the knees; including the shinguard.

Soft Goal a goal given up by a goalkeeper on what should be an easy save i.e. no pressure, weak shot, etc.

SOTG acronym for spirit of the game.

Space Marking in a zonal defending system of play, a defender is as concerned about marking an area of the field, as he is about marking an attacking player.

Splitting the Defense a ball delivered through the defensive line to a teammate to get him the ball behind their defender; used to penetrate a line of defenders. Usually this is a pass through a tight space between defenders. See also Threading it Through, Through Ball and Through Pass.

Spot the small circular spot located 12 yards in front of the center of the goal line from which all penalty kicks are taken; positioned at the center of the penalty arc. See also Penalty Mark and Penalty Spot.

Spread distance on the field.

Square a pass across to another player. See also Sqaure Pass.

Square Pass a pass made by a player to a teammate running alongside him. See also Square.

Starter a player who is on the field to play at the start of a game; a team usually makes it's best players starters.

"Stay Wide" a phrase told to wings and outside midfielders to remind them to hold their positions and not run to the ball.

Steal when a player takes the ball away from an opposing player.

"Step" a command to the defense to move up the field. See also "Pull Up" and "Push Up".

Stick to go for the tackle.

Stolen Ball when an attacker has the ball at their feet and it is taken by the defender. See also Mugged, Robbed, Steal and Stripped.

Stopper the defender that marks the best scorer on the attacking team, often the opposition's striker; exists only in a man-to-man defense. See also Bolt, Libero and Sweeper.

"Stretch Out" a phrase to a forward to go as far forward as the defense allows.

Striker a team's most powerful and best-scoring forward who plays towards the center of the field; also, the name of the mascot for the 1994 World Cup. See also Attacker, Central Forward, Forward, Goal Poacher, Offensive Player, Poacher and Target Man.

Stripped when an attacker has the ball at their feet and it is taken by the defender. See also Mugged, Robbed, Steal and Stolen Ball.

Sub another name for a Substitute. See also Substitute.

Substitute a player on a team who is not playing at the beginning of the game, but can replace a starting player later on in the match. A team may use 3 substitutes per match normally. See also Sub.

Substitution replacement of one player on the field with another player not on the field; FIFA rules allow only 3 substitutions per game.

Sudden Death a type of overtime where the first goal scored by a team ends the game and gives that team the victory. Most overtime in soccer is not sudden death. See also Golden Goal.

Sunday Shot a hopeless, long, wild, desperation shot from long out that remarkably results in a goal. If tried a thousand times, it would only be effective "during a Sunday league match". See also Bomb.

Support having other players on a team nearby to help their fellow teammates either on offense or defense.

"Support" a phrase uttered to let fellow teammates know their are other teammates nearby to help them offensively or defensively.

Sweeper the defender that plays closest to their own goal behind the rest of the defenders; a team's last line of defense in front of the goalkeeper. See also Bolt, Libero and Stopper.

"Sweeper's in Charge" phrase said to the sweeper and fullbacks to let them know that the sweeper is responsible for communicating to the fullbacks and defenders which defender is to mark which attacker. Also that the sweeper is in charge of calling for the offside trap.

Swerving Pass a pass with a lot of spin to make the ball curve around an opponent.

Swiss Bolt developed in the 1930's in Geneva. Called for different attack and defense formations, creating an illusion the opponent was out manned. A roving deep center back (bolt) evolved into today's sweeper.

Switch changing positions with another player up field.

Switching the Field a strong lateral pass from a wing player to a midfielder, and then onto another wing player. The purpose is to remove the ball from the immediate area of strong defense, and take advantage of the defending teams lack of shape. Young and inexperienced teams often can be beaten badly by this simple tactic. See also Reversing the Field and Switching the Point of Attack.

Switching the Point of Attack when the defense is closing down the attacking teams way to goal, the attacking team usually switches the point of attack to a side where there is less defensive coverage. See also Reversing the Field and Switching the Field.

T
Table a grouping of teams in league or group play in which all the teams are ranked from 1st to last in order of the points they have received for winning games. Usually a team receives 3 points for a win, 1 for a tie and zero for a loss. To be at the top of the table means to be the team with the most points.

Take On to beat a defender with a dribble.

Target Man an attacking player who acts as a target for forward passes from teammates. This player tend to be a tall player and one who is goos with their back to the goal and holding off opponents with their big size and frame.See also Attacker, Central Forward,Forward, Goal Poacher, Offensive Player, Poacher and Striker.

Team Formation like a map of the positions the players take when they start the game. A strong formation always has a strong defense. Although players often switch positions during the game to implement specific defensive or offensive tactics, they ususally return to the basic team formation.

Territory the half of the field which a team defends.

"The ball has no lungs" a Brazilian saying meaning to pass the ball to cover ground rather than dribble or run after it. The goal of this tactic is to save energy by passing.

Threading it Through a term used to describe a through pass between defenders in a small space. See also Splitting the Defense, Through Ball and Through Pass.

Third Man Running an offensive attack characterized by movement away from the ball and passes into space. See also Lead Pass and Pass into Space.

Thigh Trap when a player uses their thigh to slow down and control a ball in the air.

3 D's of Defense deny, delay and destroy.

3-on-1 Break a type of break with 3 attacking players against only 1 defensive player.

3-on-2 Break a type of break with 3 attacking players against 2 defensive players.

3-5-2 a formation growing in popularity, featuring a goalkeeper, a sweeper and two marking backs, five midfielders and two forwards.

3-4-3 a rarely played formation, most often employed when a team is behind in a game and needs a goal. it   features a goalkeeper, three defenders, four midfielders and three forwards.

3 Stripes three stripes on a sock signifies a certified FIFA referee.

Through Ball a ball delivered through the defensive line to a teammate to get him the ball behind their defender; used to penetrate a line of defenders. Usually this is a pass through a tight space between defenders. See also Splitting the Defense, Threading it Through and Through Pass.

Through Pass a ball delivered through the defensive line to a teammate to get him the ball behind their defender; used to penetrate a line of defenders. Usually this is a pass through a tight space between defenders. See also Splitting the Defense, Threading it Through and Through Ball.

Throw-In a type of restart where a player throws the ball from behind their head with two hands while standing with both feet on the ground behind a sideline; taken by a player opposite the team that last touched the ball before it went out of bounds across a sideline. Taken to restart the game after the whole of the ball crosses the outside edge of the touchline. The throw in, by any member of the team that did not touch the ball last, is taken at the point where the ball went out of play. The thrower must face the field and throw the ball with both hands, in one continuous motion from the back of their head and over the top of their head. When the ball is released, the thrower must have some part of both feet on the ground on or behind the touchline. See also Legal Throw-In.

Tie Game when two teams have scored the same number of goals in a match; if the game ends tied, it is a draw. See also Draw.

Tiebreaker a way to choose the winner of a match when teams are tied after overtime. In FIFA tournament play, a golden golden period and penalty kicks are used until a winner is determined.

Timekeeper the job of the official, who keeps track of the official time to notify teams and fans when each period is completed.

"Time" a phrased used to tell a player to settle down and get the ball under control because there is no pressure from the defenders. See also "Settle".

Timeout an official break in the action of a sport. The rules of soccer do not allow for any timeouts though timeouts for television advertising breaks are permitted by NCAA collegiate rules.

Toed Ball an unproperly hit ball that was struck with the toes of the feet rather than the correct upper-side of the foot. Sometimes an attacking player has no option but to hit the ball with their toe but this is not the usual way of kicking a ball and may cause injury.

Top Drawer Strike a goal scored that was shot and scored perfectlly. A goal that could not have been done any better. See also Clinical Goal, Polished Finish and World Class Goal.

Total Football more an attitude than a system, played by the Dutch in the 1970's. Allows any player to attack or defend, with others rotating to cover vacated areas. Successful players must have well developed all-around skills.

"Touch Me" phrase requesting a quick one-touch or flick pass form another player.

Touchline a line that runs along the length of each side of the field. See also Touchline. See also Sideline.

Tracking moving and staying with an opponent who has made a run to another zone.

Trail Pass When the attacking player with the ball, passes it back the field to a teamate, in an attempt to avoid a defender who has limited the attacking players forward progress with the ball.

Trailing running behind another player in an attempt to mark an attacker or support a fellow teammate.

Trap when a player uses their body to slow down and control a moving ball, most often using their chest, thighs or feet.

"Trap" command used to tell the defenders to use an offside trap.

TRIAR acronym for the referee is always right.

Tripping an infraction that causes an opponant to fall by hitting their feet out from under them. Usually results in a punishment by the referee.

Turnover the loss of possession of the ball.

12th Man the idea that the encouragement of fans, supporters and the crowd help the home team gain an advantage over the visiting team.

2-on-1 Break a type of break with 2 attacking players against 1 defensive player.

2-3-5 formation developed in the 1890's by the English, featuring 2 fullbacks, 3 halfbacks and 5 forwards. This was the standard soccer formation until the 1940's.

Two Touch Passing a method of passing where the ball is received by a player with one touch and then played to a teammate with the next touch.

Two-Way Midfielder the versatile midfielder most responsible for organizing play in the midfield area, creating scoring opportunities for the attackers, linking offense with defense and often a team's energetic and creative leader. See also Central Midfielder, Creative Midfielder, Engine Room, Midfield Maestro and Midfield General.

U
UEFA (Union of European Football Associations)  represents the European soccer region; based in Geneva, Switzerland; president is Lennart Johansson of Sweden and general secretary is Gerhard Aigner of Germany; founded in 1954; current membership stands at 49 nations.

UEFA Cup competition among European club teams that is second in stature next to the UEFA Champion's League. A field of selected number of teams is drawn from UEFA member leagues throughout Europe; qualified teams include the top positioned teams in most leagues (although poor performing leagues are generally limited in representatives), and in select leagues teams up to fifth place in the standings are invited to compete; the tournament is run in addition to the regular season with mid-week matches generally the rule.

Underhitting kicking the ball too softly, so that it does not reach an opponent.

Unlucky a phrase used by soccer coaches to tell a player that they were doing what they were supposed to but unfortunately the result was just not positive.

Unsportsmanlike Conduct rude and flagrant behavior by players that is not meant for the game.

US Cup international friendly tournaments hosted annually by the United States featuring top international teams. It was first played in 1992. The US Cup has become a seperate annual men's and women's tournament for the USA senior Men's and Women's National Teams to hone their skills against top caliber international competition in a friendly setting.

USSF (United States Soccer Federation) organization formed in 1913 to govern soccer in the USA. This is America's link to FIFA, providing soccer rules and guidelines to players, referees and spectators nationwide.

USYSA (United States Youth Soccer Association) the official USA youth division, which organizes and administers youth league competitions, establishes rules and guidelines, and holds clinics and workshops to support players, coaches and referees. It is the largest youth soccer organization in the USA.

Venue location where a soccer competition is held.

V
V short for versus. Used to denote how many attackers are facing how many defenders in drills or game situations such as 3v2, 2v1, 4v4, etc.

Venue location where a sporting competition is held.

Voetbal Dutch word for soccer. See also Calcio, Football, Fussbal, Futbol, Futebol, and Soccer.

Volley any ball kicked by a player when it is off the ground.

W
Wall a defensive line of players posted to protect their own goal against a attacker's direct or indirect free kick. The idea is to give the shooter very little area of the goal to aim for. Many times the goalie tells their field players how many teammates they want in the wall and to what direction/angle to stand so more or less of the goal is covered.

Wall Pass a series of passes where one player passes to a nearby teammate and then sprints forward to receive a return pass. Similar to passing the ball off of a wall and then receiving the return ball. See also Give and Go Pass.

Win-Draw-Loss Record a summary of the outcomes of a team's matches; for example, a team with a 3-1-2 record has played 6 games and won 3, tied 1 and lost 2.

Wing a forward or midfielder who stays wide to either side of the field. The main resposibilities of a wing is to feed the ball to the strikers and to take shots when they are open. See also Wingers.

Wings the sides of the field. See also Flanks.

Wingers the outside forwards and midfielders who play to the sides of the strikers and whose primary task is to provide them with accurate crossing passes so they can shoot at the goal.  Often the fastest players and best dribblers on a team are Wingers. See also Wing.

Winning the Ball the successful taking of a  ball from another player by tackling or intercepting it.

Withdrawn Forward another name for an attacking midfielder. The most forward-playing midfielder, playing right behind the forwards; they support the offense by providing passes to forwards to set up goals. Tends to be used in a 3 player offense with two strikers on the left and right side and the withdrawn forward playing behind them. See also Attacking Midfielder.

W-M Formation a team shape used for years which forces attacking teams wide while maintaining strength in the midfield area. It provides for two sweepers and is a good defensive shape. It can be weak on the offensive end especially if the other team is also playing a W-M. The general shape is usually a 3-2-3-2.

Woodwork another name for the crossbar and goalposts of a soccer goal.

World Class Goal a goal scored that was shot and scored perfectlly. A goal that could not have been done any better. See also Clinical Goal, Polished Finish and Top Drawer Strike.

World Cup the international soccer competition held by FIFA every 4 years between the top professional teams in the world, pitting nation against nation; the most watched event in the world, attracting a television audience of over 3 billion viewers. Held in a host country with national teams representing 32 countries (increased from 24 following the 1994 World Cup); 30 teams qualify in competitions with automatic bids going to the past champion and host nation; the tournament has been played every four years since 1930, with the exception of 1942 and 1946 due to World War II; only seven countries have won the World Cup Brazil (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994); Germany (1954, 1974, 1990); Italy (1934, 1938, 1982); Uruguay (1930, 1950); Argentina (1978, 1986); England (1966); and France (1998). The 2002 World Cupis to be the first co-hosted tournament in Japan and South Korea. FIFA President Sepp Blatter has stated the desire to make the World Cup every two years after the international uniformed soccer calendar is in place. See also FIFA World Cup.

World Cup Trophy established in 1974 to replace the Jules Rimet Trophy. West Germany became the first winners of the FIFA World Cup Trophy in 1974. See also FIFA World Cup Trophy.

Y
Yellow Card a warning card issued by the referee for repeated or blatant fouls or abusive language. Anyone receiving two yellow cards in a single match is automatically ejected for the game and their team must play the remainder of the game shorthanded. They may not substitute for an ejected player.

"You'll always miss 100% of the shots you don't take" an old soccer maxim that states that some shots are not "good shots" and  that even poor or bad shots are prefered to no shots at all since you can't usually win without shooting.

"You're either part of the steamroller or part of the pavement." a phrase that is used to tell players to move around the field to get the ball and that standing idle will result in not being a part of the plays.

YSA like the AYSO, another runaway soccer organization.

Z
Zone a type of defense that assigns each defender to a particular area in front of or around their team's goal in which they are responsible for marking any attacker that enters; often used in youth league games but rarely in professional competition. See also Zonal Defense and Zone Marking.

Zonal Defense defensive tactic where the defensive players are assigned specific zones of the field and are expected to defend against the the players of the attacking team when they are in that zone. This may often mean that the defender has more than one attacker to defend against, as occurs when the attacking team floods the zone. See also Zone and  Zone Marking.

Zone Marking a method of defense in which defenders guard an area of the field (and opponents in that area) rather than marking a particular player. See also Zone and Zone Defense.