Football Vocabulary - Helping You Understand The Vocabulary Used To Talk About Britain's Favorite Sport

@Jim Mackie

Football is often refered to as the beautiful game and is one of the most popular sports in the world today. Millions of fans watch games on a regular basis and talk about it after the game

This year the premier compettion of the sport the FIFA WORLD CUP is taking place in Qatar and there will be fans attending from all over the world and it will be discussed not only in person but on social networks

In addition, there are many competitions which involve teams from all over the world where fans travel to different counties and interact with each other

Furthermore, many children around the world dream of becoming the next superstar like Harry Kane or Cristiano Ronaldo and understanding English will be important if you want to play in the Premier league which is regarded as one of the most prestigious completions in the world

So here to help you is a detailed guide to understanding the language used in the game

General Vocabulary

Lets warm up with some general terms to help you

FOOTBALL (KNOWN AS SOCCER IN THE USA)

MATCH – GAME – The event

LEAGUE – A Group Of Teams Made Up Of Diferent Levels

DIVISION – Small groups of teams who are of a similar level

CUP-TROPHY – An award given to the winner of a competition

We will kick off with some useful words to help you understand the people involved in the game

FOOTBALL PESONNEL

Playing Staff

Goal Keeper – Reasonable for Stopping the Other Team from Scoring – The Only Player Who Can Use Their Hands

Central Defender – Centre Back – Helps the Goalkeeper in denfeding the goal

Full Back Playing on The Right of Left of The Pitch Assisting the Galie and central defenders

Wingback Similar to Fall Backs but will move up the pitch to assist in the attack

Defensive Midfielder = Positioned in from of the centre back, will help defend and attack when needed

Centre Midfielder – The connection between the defense and attack

Winger Moving up and down the edges of the pitch to pass the ball into the opposition's box

Attacking Midfielder similar to wingers and midfielders but positioned further up the pitch

Striker- Attacker – Forward – The main goal scorer of the team

Management Staff

Manager – Head Coach – Responable for picking the team, setting the tatics of the team and the day-to-day training

Assistant Manager - Assisting the Manager in his tasks

Director Of Football – Deals with the back-room staff, findindg fresh players for the club Deals with players contracts

Physio – Deals with Injuries on the pitch -

Chairman/Chairwoman/Chairperson - Sometimes the owner or the club or the owner's representative in charge of Financial aspects, chooses the manager and sometimes players

Match Officials and Other Positions

Referee – I charge of the match, Hands Out red and yellow cards for fouls,

Assistant Referee/Linesman There to assist the main referere from the side of the pitch

Ball Boy/Ball Girl - Collects the ball and passes it ti the players when the ball goes out of play

4th Official Controls the managers during the gaame, deals with subsitiutes , etc

We reach the end of the first half where we will find out more about the Pitch and the Stadium

AREAS OF THE PITCH

Bench: the area where substitutes and club officials sit during the game.

Centre circle: A 10 yards (9.15 metres) circle where the game begins

Centre spot: The exact middle of the centre circle where kick-off takes place.

Corner: There are four corners of the pitch with a corner flag used when the ball is kicked over the goal line by the defending team

Crossbar: the horizontal bar of the goal. .

Goal: The goal consists of two vertical goal posts and a horizontal crossbar.

Goal line: the two short boundary lines at opposite ends of the pitch.

Goal post: two vertical posts

Halfway line: The marked line that goes across the pitch exactly halfway between the two goal lines.

Net: Nets are attached to the goal posts and crossbar

Penalty area: Also known as the penalty box or 12 Yard Box. This is only area where the goalkeeper can use his hands to touch the ball.

Penalty spot: a white spot in the penalty box from which penalties are taken. This spot or mark is 12 yards (11 metres) from the goal line.

Technical Area – Small area where the managerment team can stand during the game

Touchline: The touchlines are the marked lines going along the longest part of the pitch a throw-in is giving to the opposite team of the last person who touched the ball if it crosses this lline

AREAS OF THE STADIUM

Changing Rooms – Locker Rooms – Where the teams prepare for the games and hold taks with the manager at half time

Stands: Where the fans / supporters sit in the stadium during the gme

Tunnel The connection between the changing tooms and the pitch

In the second half we will learn all about the words we use to talk about the game

WORDS USED DURING THE MATCH

Clearance: a defensive kick that is intended to remove the ball out of danger from the goal area.

Corner kick: Given when the ball touches a defending team’s player before going over the goal line

Dive: when a player deliberately falls when they are barely even touched in order to get a free kick or a penalty.

Draw / Tie: when the game finishes with a equal score (1-1).

Equalizer: a goal that is scored where teams now have the same number of goals.

Extra time: Two extra 15-minute periods played when the main 90-minute game ends in a draw. Used when the game must have a winner

Free kick: Given when a team commits a foul

Foul: Something that is not permitted in the game as it is against the rules

Goal: when the ball passes the line between the two goal posts and under the crossbar,

Half time: Short 15-minute break between the two halfs

Handball: when a player touches the ball with his/her hand or arm.

Hat trick: when a player has scored three goals in the same match.

Header: Using the head to guide the direction of the ball.

Injury time/Stoppage time: Extra minutes added to the end of a half to compensate lost playing time due to injury. .

Kick-off: the first kick of the game which signifies the start of the match.

Offside: when a player receives a pass and they are closer to their opponent’s goal than one of the opposite team’s players excluding the goalkeeper.

Own goal: when a player accidentally helps the ball go into their own goal.

Penalty: A kick from the penalty spot following a foul in the penalty area

Penalty shootout: This happens when the game is tied (both teams have the same number of goals) after extra time in a competition and a winner needs to be decided.

Possession: the total amount of time a team is able to keep the ball and prevent the opposition from touching it.

Red card: If a player gets a red card, they must leave the pitch immediately

Shot: when the ball is kicked or headed at goal

Throw-in: When a ball goes completely across the touchline to be out of play

VAR: Short for Video Assistant Referees. Used to help the referee make decisions such as whether to award a goal or not, give a penalty, or give a player a red card.

Wall: Used to create a barrier between the ball and the goal when there is a free kick.

Yellow card: A yellow card is given as punishment for a serious foul in the game.

The final whistle blows but we are not there yet so lets have some extra time

FOOTBALL CLOTHING WORDS

Armband: A band worn by the captain.

Boots: Special boots with studs for playing football

Gloves: Warnby the goal keeper make it easier to stop the ball.

Kit: The team uniform.

Shin pads / Shin guards: protective coverings that protect a player’s shins from getting hurt

Shirt / Jersey: The top part of a team kit

Shorts: short trousers that only reach the knees or thighs.

Socks: a piece of clothing that covers the foot.

Studs: Fixed to the base of footwear that helps the player to not slip over on the pitch. Sometimes called sprigs.

We reach the second half of extra time and its looking good but we are not there yet

VERBS CONNETED TO FOOTBALL

To concede (a goal): when a team receives a goal against them.

To cross: to pass the ball from one side of the pitch to the opposite side or into the goal area.

To dribble: to move the ball along with your feet as you go up the field.

To head: to use your head to make the ball go in a certain direction.

To kick: to strike the ball with your foot.

To mark: to guard an opposing player to try and stop them from receiving the ball from their teammate or to make it difficult for that player to use the ball how they want.

To pass: when a player kicks (or heads) the ball to another player on their same team

To score (a goal): to get a goal

To shoot: when the ball is kicked in the direction of the opponent’s goal in an attempt to score a goal.

To substitute: (to sub) to replace one player on the field with another player that was on the bench.

To tackle: to challenge and try and take the ball from an opposing player.

To volley: to kick a moving ball before it hits the ground.

We reach the Penaly Shootout / One final Push and we will be victorious

AND FINALLY SOME PHRASAL VERBS CONNECTED TO FOOTBALL

To Warm Up - Prepare for a period of exercise - The team spent a few minutes warming up before the game

To Ease Off – Reduce The Intensity – The team eased off after scoring the goal

To Fight Back – To Increase the attacks to equalize – The team were able to fight back after conceding two early goals

To Pay Off – Get a good result from something you did in the past – The team's effort paid off and they won the game

To Gamble On (Someone/something) To take a chance on something - The manager decided to gamble on his new goalkeeper

To Brush Somebody/Something aside – to knock out of the way – the attacker was able to brush off the defender's challenge

SOME PEOPLE ARE ON THE PITCH THEY THINK ITS ALL OVER - IT IS NOW - (Kenneth Wolstenholme's BBC TV commentary in the closing moments of the 1966 FIFA World Cup Final.

NOW YOU CAN TALK ABOUT FOOTBALL WITH CONFIDENCE - WANT TO LEARN MORE VOCABULARY LIKE THIS

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Football Vocabulary - Helping You Understand The Vocabulary Used To Talk About Britain's Favorite Sport

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