Soccer glossary
Soccer terminology, explained in plain English
Every soccer term you are likely to hear from the sideline, the coach or the TV commentary, defined in a sentence or two. Rules, positions, tactics, skills and slang, all in one A-Z list.
Whether you are a new player joining a rec league, a parent trying to follow your kid's weekend games, or a volunteer coach running your first practice, soccer comes with a lot of vocabulary. This glossary covers the rules and restarts, the positions and formations, the skills and tactics, and the match terms you will hear on game day.
Soccer is played and talked about all over the world, so the same thing often has two names. We include both the American and British words, such as field and pitch, cleats and boots, game and match, and tie and draw, so you can follow along no matter who is talking.
130 terms, A to Z.
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- 3-5-2
- A formation with three center backs, five midfielders and two strikers. The two wide midfielders usually play as wingbacks, defending and attacking along the sidelines.
- 4-2-3-1
- A formation with four defenders, two defensive midfielders, three attacking midfielders and one striker. It is one of the most common shapes in the modern professional game.
- 4-3-3
- A formation with four defenders, three central midfielders and three forwards: a striker with a winger on each side. It suits teams that like to press high and attack wide.
- 4-4-2
- A classic formation with four defenders, four midfielders in a flat line and two strikers. It is simple to teach and balanced, which makes it popular in youth and amateur soccer.
A
- Advantage
- When a foul is committed but stopping play would hurt the team that was fouled, the referee can let play continue. The referee signals advantage by extending both arms forward and can still give a card for the foul at the next stoppage. See also: Foul, Referee
- Aggregate
- The combined score over two games, or legs, between the same teams in a knockout round. If a team wins 2-1 at home and loses 1-0 away, the aggregate is 2-2. See also: Away goals rule, Leg
- Assist
- The pass or touch that sets up a teammate's goal. Assists are tracked as a statistic alongside goals.
- Assistant referee
- One of the two officials who run along the touchlines with a flag. They signal when the ball goes out of play, which team gets the restart, offside, and fouls the referee may not have seen. They used to be called linesmen. See also: Linesman, Offside
- Attacking midfielder
- A midfielder who plays just behind the forwards and focuses on creating chances with passes, dribbles and shots. Often called the number 10. See also: Number 10, Playmaker
- Away goals rule
- An old tiebreaker for two-legged ties: if the aggregate score was level, the team that scored more goals away from home went through. UEFA scrapped it in its club competitions starting in the 2021-22 season, and many other competitions have dropped it too. See also: Aggregate
B
- Back heel
- A pass or shot played with the heel, usually sending the ball backward. It can surprise defenders because the player is facing away from the target.
- Back pass rule
- A goalkeeper may not pick up the ball with their hands when a teammate deliberately kicks it to them or throws it to them directly from a throw-in. Doing so gives the other team an indirect free kick. See also: Goalkeeper, Indirect free kick
- Bench
- Where substitutes and coaching staff sit during a game. A player who is not starting is said to be on the bench.
- Bicycle kick
- An acrobatic kick where a player throws their body into the air, legs over their head, and strikes the ball backward over themselves. Also called an overhead kick.
- Booking
- Another word for receiving a yellow card. The referee writes the player's name in their notebook, which is where the word comes from.
- Boots
- The British word for soccer shoes with studs on the bottom. Americans call them cleats. See also: Cleats
- Box
- Everyday name for the penalty area, the large rectangle in front of each goal. See also: Penalty area
- Box-to-box midfielder
- A central midfielder with the energy to help defend in their own penalty area and then get forward to support attacks in the other one.
- Brace
- Two goals scored by the same player in one game. See also: Hat trick
- Build-out line
- A line used in some US youth small-sided games, most often 7v7. When the goalkeeper has the ball in their hands or a goal kick is taken, opponents must move behind this line until the ball is played, giving young players room to pass out from the back. See also: Small-sided games, Goal kick
C
- Cap
- An appearance for a national team. A player who has played 50 games for their country has 50 caps.
- Captain
- The player who leads the team on the field and wears an armband. The captain takes part in the coin toss and is the main link between the team and the referee.
- Center back
- A defender who plays in the middle of the back line, in front of the goalkeeper. Their main jobs are winning headers, making tackles and blocking shots. Also called a central defender or centre-half.
- Center circle
- The circle in the middle of the field, with a radius of 10 yards (9.15 m). Opponents must stay outside it at kickoff.
- Chip
- A short, lofted kick that lifts the ball up and over an opponent, often a goalkeeper who has come off their line.
- Clean sheet
- A game in which a team, and its goalkeeper, does not concede a goal. Americans sometimes call it a shutout.
- Clearance
- A defender kicking or heading the ball away from danger near their own goal, usually as far as possible rather than to a teammate.
- Cleats
- The American word for soccer shoes with studs on the sole for grip on grass. In Britain they are called boots. See also: Boots
- Corner kick
- A restart given to the attacking team when the defending team last touched the ball before it crossed the goal line, without a goal being scored. The ball is kicked from the corner arc, and a goal can be scored directly from it. See also: Goal kick, Set piece
- Counterattack
- A fast attack launched right after winning the ball, aiming to strike before the other team can get back into defensive position.
- Cross
- A pass from a wide area of the field into the penalty area, aimed at a teammate who can head or shoot.
D
- Defensive midfielder
- A midfielder who sits in front of the defense, breaking up the other team's attacks and passing the ball on to more attacking players. Also called a holding midfielder or number 6.
- Derby
- A game between two local rivals, often from the same city or region.
- Direct free kick
- A free kick from which a goal can be scored straight into the opponent's net without anyone else touching it. It is given for fouls such as tripping, pushing, kicking and handball. See also: Free kick, Indirect free kick
- Dive
- Falling over on purpose to trick the referee into giving a foul or a penalty. It is a form of simulation and is punished with a yellow card.
- Draw
- A game that ends with both teams on the same score. Americans usually call it a tie. See also: Tie
- Dribbling
- Running with the ball under close control, using small touches to move past opponents.
- Drop ball
- A restart used when the referee stops play for something other than a foul, such as an injury. The ball is dropped for one player of the team that last touched it, or for the goalkeeper if play stopped inside the penalty area, and everyone else must stay at least 4 m (4.5 yards) away.
E
- Equalizer
- A goal that levels the score, for example making it 1-1 after being 1-0 down.
- Extra time
- Two additional 15-minute periods played when a knockout game is tied at the end of regular time. If it is still tied after extra time, the game usually goes to a penalty shootout. Not to be confused with stoppage time. See also: Penalty shootout, Stoppage time
F
- False nine
- A center forward who drops deep into midfield instead of staying up front. This pulls center backs out of position and creates space for teammates to run into. See also: Striker
- Field
- The American word for the playing surface. In Britain it is usually called the pitch. See also: Pitch
- First touch
- How well a player controls the ball when it first comes to them. A good first touch sets up the next pass, dribble or shot.
- Fixture
- The British word for a scheduled game. The fixture list is the season schedule.
- Formation
- How a team arranges its 10 outfield players, written as numbers from defense to attack. A 4-4-2 means four defenders, four midfielders and two forwards; the goalkeeper is not counted. See also: 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 3-5-2
- Foul
- An illegal action against an opponent, such as tripping, pushing, holding, kicking or a careless tackle. The other team gets a free kick, or a penalty kick if the foul happens inside the fouling team's own penalty area.
- Fourth official
- An extra official who stands between the two team benches. They manage substitutions, hold up the board showing stoppage time, help keep order on the sidelines and can replace a referee who gets hurt. See also: Referee, Stoppage time
- Free kick
- A restart awarded to a team after the other team commits a foul or other offense. Opponents must be at least 10 yards (9.15 m) from the ball until it is kicked. Free kicks are either direct or indirect. See also: Direct free kick, Indirect free kick, Wall
- Friendly
- A game that does not count toward any league or tournament, often played for practice or preseason preparation.
- Fullback
- A defender who plays on the left or right side of the back line. Fullbacks mark wingers and often run forward to join attacks.
G
- Gaffer
- British slang for the team's manager or head coach.
- Goal area
- The small rectangle directly in front of each goal, extending 6 yards (5.5 m) out. Goal kicks can be taken from anywhere inside it. Also called the six-yard box.
- Goal kick
- A restart given to the defending team when the attacking team last touched the ball before it crossed the goal line without a goal. It is kicked from anywhere in the goal area, and a player cannot be offside directly from it. See also: Corner kick, Goal area
- Goal line
- The line at each end of the field that runs between the corner flags and through the goal. The whole ball must cross the line between the posts and under the crossbar for a goal.
- Goal-line technology
- A camera or sensor system used in top competitions that tells the referee within seconds whether the whole ball crossed the goal line.
- Goalkeeper
- The player who guards the goal and is the only one allowed to handle the ball, and only inside their own penalty area. Goalkeepers wear a different color from everyone else on the field.
- Golden goal
- A former rule under which the first goal in extra time ended the game immediately. It was dropped from the Laws of the Game in 2004.
H
- Half-volley
- Kicking the ball just after it bounces, as it rises off the ground.
- Halftime
- The break between the two halves of a game, no longer than 15 minutes in adult soccer. Teams switch ends after halftime.
- Halfway line
- The line across the middle of the field that divides it into two halves. A player cannot be offside while in their own half.
- Handball
- An offense when a player deliberately touches the ball with their hand or arm, or touches it with an arm held out in a way that makes their body unnaturally bigger. A goal cannot count if the scorer touched the ball with their hand or arm just before scoring, even by accident. The arm starts at the bottom of the armpit. See also: Direct free kick, Penalty kick
- Hat trick
- Three goals scored by the same player in one game. A perfect hat trick is one goal with the left foot, one with the right and one header. See also: Brace
- Header
- Playing the ball with the forehead to pass, shoot or clear it. Many youth programs limit or ban heading for younger age groups.
- High line
- A defensive tactic where the back line stays far up the field, squeezing the space the other team has to play in. It relies on the offside rule and fast defenders.
I
- Indirect free kick
- A free kick from which a goal can only count if another player touches the ball before it goes in. The referee raises an arm to signal it. It is given for offenses like offside, dangerous play and a goalkeeper handling a back pass. See also: Free kick, Direct free kick
- Injury time
- Another name for stoppage time, the minutes added at the end of each half. See also: Stoppage time
K
- Kickoff
- The restart that begins each half and follows every goal. The ball is placed on the center mark and can be kicked in any direction, and a goal can be scored directly from it against the opponents.
- Kit
- The British word for a team's uniform: jersey, shorts and socks. Teams usually have a home kit and an away kit.
L
- Leg
- One game of a two-game knockout tie, with each team usually hosting one leg. The winner is decided on the aggregate score.
- Linesman
- The older name for an assistant referee, the official who runs the touchline with a flag. See also: Assistant referee
- Long ball
- A long pass played from defense straight toward the forwards, skipping the midfield.
- Low block
- A defensive setup where a team drops deep and packs players close to its own penalty area, giving away space farther up the field but very little near goal.
M
- Man-marking
- A defensive system where each defender is responsible for staying close to one specific opponent. See also: Zonal marking
- Match
- The British and international word for a game. Americans use game and match interchangeably.
- Midfielder
- A player who operates in the middle part of the field, linking defense and attack. Midfielders do a lot of running, passing and tackling.
N
- Near post
- The goalpost closest to the ball. The far post, or back post, is the one farther away.
- Nil
- British word for zero in a score. A 2-0 result is read as two-nil.
- Number 10
- Nickname for the attacking midfielder or playmaker, after the shirt number that position traditionally wore. See also: Attacking midfielder
- Nutmeg
- Passing or dribbling the ball through an opponent's legs and collecting it on the other side.
O
- Offside
- An offense when a player in an offside position at the moment a teammate plays the ball becomes involved in the play. The other team gets an indirect free kick. There is no offside in your own half, or directly from a goal kick, throw-in or corner kick. See also: Offside position, Offside trap
- Offside position
- A player is in an offside position if any part of their head, body or feet is in the opponents' half and closer to the opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second-to-last defender, which is usually the last outfield player. Being level is onside, and arms and hands do not count. Simply being in this position is not an offense. See also: Offside
- Offside trap
- A tactic where defenders step up together just before an opponent plays a forward pass, leaving attackers in an offside position. See also: Offside, High line
- One-two
- A quick passing move where a player passes to a teammate and immediately runs forward to receive the ball straight back, getting past a defender. Also called a give-and-go or wall pass.
- Open play
- Any part of the game where the ball is moving freely, as opposed to set pieces like corners and free kicks.
- Overlap
- When a fullback or wide player runs around the outside of a teammate who has the ball, giving them an extra passing option down the wing.
- Own goal
- A goal a player accidentally puts into their own team's net. It counts for the other team.
P
- Panenka
- A penalty kick chipped softly down the middle of the goal, relying on the goalkeeper diving to one side. It is named after the Czechoslovak player who made it famous in 1976.
- Parking the bus
- Slang for a team defending with nearly every player behind the ball, usually to protect a lead.
- Penalty area
- The large rectangle in front of each goal, extending 18 yards (16.5 m) out. The goalkeeper can handle the ball inside it, and a direct free kick foul by the defending team inside it becomes a penalty kick. Also called the box or 18-yard box. See also: Box, Penalty kick
- Penalty kick
- A free shot at goal from the penalty mark, 12 yards (11 m) out, with only the goalkeeper to beat. It is given when a team commits a direct free kick foul inside its own penalty area. The goalkeeper must keep at least part of one foot on or level with the goal line until the ball is kicked. See also: Penalty area, Penalty shootout
- Penalty shootout
- A tiebreaker used in knockout games after regular time, or extra time, ends level. Teams take turns shooting penalty kicks, usually five each, and if still tied it goes to sudden death. Only players on the field at the end of the game can take part. See also: Extra time, Penalty kick
- Pitch
- The British word for the playing field. See also: Field
- Playmaker
- The creative player a team builds its attacks around, usually a midfielder with excellent vision and passing.
- Possession
- Having control of the ball. Possession is also measured as a percentage of the game each team had the ball.
- Pressing
- Closing down opponents quickly and as a group to win the ball back, often high up the field. Gegenpressing, or counterpressing, means pressing immediately after losing the ball.
- Promotion
- Moving up to a higher division at the end of a season by finishing near the top of the table. Its opposite is relegation.
R
- Red card
- A card shown for a serious offense, such as violent conduct, serious foul play, denying an obvious goal-scoring chance, or a second yellow card. The player is sent off and cannot be replaced, so the team plays with one fewer player. See also: Yellow card, Sent off
- Referee
- The official in charge of the game who enforces the Laws of the Game, keeps time and makes the final decision on fouls, cards and restarts.
- Relegation
- Dropping down to a lower division at the end of a season by finishing near the bottom of the table.
- Restart
- Any way of putting the ball back into play after a stoppage: kickoff, throw-in, goal kick, corner kick, free kick, penalty kick or drop ball.
S
- Save
- When the goalkeeper stops a shot that would otherwise have gone in.
- Sent off
- Ordered to leave the field after being shown a red card. The player takes no further part in the game and the team cannot bring on a replacement. See also: Red card
- Set piece
- A planned play from a dead-ball restart, such as a corner kick, free kick or throw-in. Teams often practice set pieces in training.
- Shin guards
- Protective pads worn under the socks to cover the shins. They are required equipment at every level of soccer.
- Shot on target
- A shot that would go into the goal if it were not stopped by the goalkeeper or the last defender. Shots that miss or hit the post are off target.
- Sitter
- An easy scoring chance, usually close to goal. Missing one is called missing a sitter.
- Slide tackle
- A tackle where a defender slides along the ground to knock the ball away from an opponent. It is legal if it gets the ball fairly, but reckless slide tackles are fouls and can earn a card.
- Small-sided games
- Games with fewer players on smaller fields, such as 4v4, 7v7 and 9v9, used in youth soccer so kids get more touches on the ball. In US youth soccer, full 11v11 usually starts in the early teens, depending on the league. See also: Build-out line
- Starting lineup
- The 11 players, including the goalkeeper, who begin the game on the field. Also called the starting XI.
- Step-over
- A dribbling trick where a player swings their foot around the ball without touching it to fake a move one way before going the other.
- Stoppage time
- Extra minutes the referee adds at the end of each half to make up for time lost to injuries, substitutions, goal celebrations and VAR checks. The fourth official shows the minimum amount on a board. Also called added time or injury time. See also: Extra time, Fourth official
- Striker
- The most advanced attacker, whose main job is to score goals. Also called a center forward or number 9.
- Substitution
- Replacing a player on the field with one from the bench. Most top competitions allow five substitutions per game, while many youth and rec leagues allow unlimited rolling substitutions.
- Sweeper
- A defender who plays behind the other center backs, cleaning up loose balls and covering for teammates. Also called a libero, the position is rare in the modern game.
- Sweeper keeper
- A goalkeeper who comes far off their line to clear through balls and help build attacks with their feet. See also: Goalkeeper, Sweeper
T
- Table
- The league standings. Teams usually get three points for a win, one for a draw and none for a loss.
- Tackle
- Using the feet to take the ball away from an opponent. A fair tackle plays the ball; a tackle that is careless, reckless or uses excessive force is a foul.
- Target man
- A tall, strong striker who wins headers and holds up the ball so teammates can join the attack.
- Through ball
- A pass played into the space behind the defense for a teammate to run onto.
- Throw-in
- The restart when the ball goes out over the touchline. A player from the team that did not touch it last throws it in with both hands from behind and over their head, with part of each foot on the ground on or behind the line. A goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in. See also: Touchline, Restart
- Tie
- The American word for a game that ends level, called a draw in Britain. In British usage, a tie can also mean a knockout cup game. See also: Draw
- Touchline
- Either of the two long lines along the sides of the field. Americans often call them sidelines.
- Treble
- Winning three major trophies in the same season, such as the league, the domestic cup and a continental title.
V
- VAR
- Short for video assistant referee, an official who reviews video during professional games. VAR can only step in for clear and obvious errors or serious missed incidents involving goals, penalties, direct red cards and mistaken identity.
- Volley
- Kicking the ball while it is still in the air, before it touches the ground.
W
- Wall
- A line of defenders standing side by side to block a free kick. It must be at least 10 yards (9.15 m) from the ball, and when it has three or more defenders, attackers must stay at least 1 yard (1 m) away from it.
- Wingback
- A wide player in a back three or back five system who covers the whole flank, defending like a fullback and attacking like a winger. See also: Fullback, 3-5-2
- Winger
- A fast attacking player who plays near the touchline, dribbling past fullbacks and delivering crosses or cutting inside to shoot.
Y
Z
- Zonal marking
- A defensive system where each player covers an area of the field rather than a specific opponent. See also: Man-marking
FAQ
Common questions
What are the basic soccer terms?
The terms to learn first are goal, kickoff, throw-in, goal kick, corner kick, free kick, penalty kick, offside, foul, yellow card and red card, plus the main positions: goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and forward. With those, you can follow almost any game.
What is offside in soccer?
A player is offside when, at the moment a teammate passes or touches the ball, they are in the opponents' half and closer to the goal line than both the ball and the second-to-last defender, and they then get involved in the play. Being level is onside, and you cannot be offside in your own half or directly from a goal kick, throw-in or corner kick. The penalty is an indirect free kick for the defending team.
What is a hat trick?
A hat trick is when one player scores three goals in a single game. Two goals in a game is called a brace.
What does nil mean in soccer?
Nil means zero. It is the British way of reading a score, so a 1-0 win is said as one-nil.
What are the positions in soccer?
Each team has 11 players: a goalkeeper, defenders (center backs and fullbacks or wingbacks), midfielders (defensive, central and attacking) and forwards (wingers and strikers). How many players fill each role depends on the team's formation, such as 4-4-2 or 4-3-3.
Running a team?
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