Soccer glossary

Soccer has a big vocabulary. Each term below gets a short, plain-English definition, with a link to the full guide where we have one.

70 terms

A

Added time

Time added at the end of each half for stoppages, also called stoppage time or injury time.

Advantage

When the referee lets play continue after a foul because stopping would hurt the fouled team.

Aggregate

The combined score over two legs of a tie.

Assist

The pass or touch that sets up a goal.

B

Back four

A defense with four defenders across the field.

Back-pass rule

Goalkeepers may not handle a deliberate kick-pass or throw-in from a teammate. See how the rules evolved.

Bicycle kick

An overhead kick taken while the player's body is in the air.

Box

The penalty area.

Brace

Two goals by one player in a match.

C

Captain

The player who leads the team and wears the armband.

Center-back

A central defender. See goalkeepers and defenders.

Clean sheet

A match in which a team concedes no goals.

Corner kick

A restart from the corner arc after the defending team last touched the ball over its own goal line. See restarts.

Counter-attack

A fast attack after winning the ball. See counter-attacking.

Cross

A pass from a wide area into the penalty area.

Cutback

A pass played backward from near the goal line to a teammate arriving in the box.

D

Derby

A match between local rivals.

Direct free kick

A free kick from which a goal can be scored directly.

Dribble

Running with the ball under close control. See dribbling moves.

E

Extra time

Two 15-minute periods played when a knockout match is tied. See extra time and shootouts.

F

False nine

A center-forward who drops deep into midfield instead of staying high.

First touch

A player's first contact when receiving the ball. See first touch.

Formation

The arrangement of players, such as 4-3-3. See formations.

Fourth official

The match official who manages substitutions and the technical areas.

Full-back

A defender on the right or left side of the back line.

G

Gegenpressing

Pressing immediately after losing the ball to win it back high up the field.

Goal difference

Goals scored minus goals conceded.

Goal kick

A restart after the attacking team last touched the ball over the goal line.

Golden goal

A former rule where the first goal in extra time ended the match.

H

Handball

Illegally touching the ball with the hand or arm. See handball.

Hat-trick

Three goals by one player in a match.

Header

Playing the ball with the head. See heading safety.

High line

A defense that holds its position far up the field.

I

IFAB

International Football Association Board, which writes the Laws of the Game.

Indirect free kick

A free kick from which a goal cannot be scored unless another player touches the ball.

K

Kick-off

The restart at the start of each half and after a goal.

L

Leg

One match of a two-match tie.

Low block

A team defending deep and compact near its own goal.

M

Man marking

Each defender is responsible for a specific opponent.

Midfielder

A player who links defense and attack. See midfielders and forwards.

N

Nutmeg

Playing the ball through an opponent's legs.

O

Offside

Being in an illegal attacking position when a teammate plays the ball. See offside.

One-two

A quick pass and return pass between two players, also called a wall pass.

Own goal

A goal a player accidentally scores into their own net.

P

Panenka

A softly chipped penalty down the middle, named after Czech player Antonin Panenka.

Penalty kick

A kick from the penalty mark awarded for certain fouls in the penalty area. See penalties.

Penalty shootout

Alternating kicks from the penalty mark to decide a tied knockout match.

Possession

The share of time a team has the ball. See possession play.

PPDA

Passes per defensive action, a measure of pressing intensity. See advanced stats.

Pressing

Closing down opponents to win the ball back. See pressing.

R

Red card

A sending-off; the player must leave and cannot be replaced. See fouls and cards.

Relegation

Dropping to a lower division after finishing near the bottom of a league.

S

Set piece

A planned play from a dead-ball restart such as a corner or free kick. See set pieces.

Sitter

An easy chance that should be scored.

Six-yard box

The goal area, the small box in front of the goal.

Striker

A forward whose main job is scoring goals.

Substitution

Replacing one player with another during a match. See substitutions.

Sweeper keeper

A goalkeeper who leaves the area to clear through balls.

T

Tactical foul

A deliberate foul to stop an attack, usually a yellow card.

Through ball

A pass played into space behind the defense for a runner.

Throw-in

A restart taken with the hands after the ball crosses the touchline.

Tiki-taka

A style built on short passing and movement.

Touchline

The long boundary line along each side of the field.

Treble

Winning three major trophies in one season.

V

VAR

Video assistant referee. See VAR.

W

Wall

A line of defenders blocking a free kick.

Winger

A wide attacking player.

X

xG

Expected goals, the quality of chances. See expected goals.

Y

Yellow card

A caution; two in one match lead to a red card.

Z

Zonal marking

Defenders guard areas of the field rather than specific opponents.