Football Vocabulary List

word example sentence meaning

assistant Assistant referees used to be called official who runs one of two touchlines
referee 'linesmen', but the term was changed and advises the referee, esp. on offside
in 1996. decisions

corner kick The referee awarded a corner kick a free kick taken from one of the corners
after the goalkeeper tipped the ball of the pitch
over the bar.

defender Defenders include left backs, right a player whose main role is to prevent the
backs and central defenders. opposition from scoring

dive Many people see diving as a form of to deliberately fall over when tackled in
cheating and think players who dive order to deceive the referee into
should be sent off. awarding a free kick

draw The game ended in a draw, with each finish a game with an even score; tie
team having scored two goals.

extra time We won the game by scoring the only two periods of 15 minutes each played
goal in extra time. when a game ends in a draw after normal
time

foul The referee blew his whistle and gave an illegal action punishable by a free kick
a penalty kick for a foul in the penalty
area.

goal Manchester United beat Chelsea by an instance of kicking or heading the ball
three goals to one. into the goal

goalkeeper The goalkeeper tried to stop the player whose role is to stop the ball from
penalty kick by diving to his left, but entering the goal, and the only player
the penalty taker kicked the ball past who can handle the ball in general play
him and scored.
word example sentence meaning

goal line The referee thought a defender was the two shorter boundaries, one at each
the last player to touch the ball before end of the pitch, on which the goals are
it went over the goal line and awarded placed
a corner kick.

handball The ball hit Mark on the arm and the a foul committed by touching the ball
referee awarded a free kick to his with a hand or an arm
opponents for handball.

league The Spanish Football League, known a group of sports clubs that play each
as 'La Liga', includes famous clubs like other over a period for a championship
Real Madrid and Barcelona. e.g., English Premiership League

offside The assistant referee raised his flag to law requiring at least two defenders to be
indicate to the referee that one of the between an attacker and the goal line
forward players was in an offside when the ball is passed to the attacker
position.

pass David saw a teammate and passed the to kick or head the ball to another player
ball to him. on one's own team.

penalty Our defender tackled their striker in a free kick from the penalty spot; see
the penalty box, but the referee also penalty kick
thought it was a foul and gave them a
penalty.

penalty area The tackle was just outside the penalty area near each goal in which the
area, but the referee thought it was goalkeeper may handle the ball, and a
inside the area and gave them a foul is punished by a penalty
penalty. kick (also; penalty box)

penalty kick Their best striker took the penalty a direct free kick taken from the penalty
kick, but our goalkeeper blocked his spot, awarded for a foul committed in the
shot, and they didn't score the goal. penalty area
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penalty Our team won the penalty shootout a best-of-five penalty kick contest held to
shootout by four goals to three, and we were find a winner when a game is still tied
the new champions. after extra time

penalty spot I felt very nervous as I put the ball on a white mark in the penalty area from
the penalty spot and stepped back to which penalty kicks are taken
take the kick.

pitch It had rained all morning, so the pitch the playing field
was soft and muddy and difficult to
run on.

professional David Beckham became a professional doing something, like playing sport or
player at 17 when he signed a contract music, as a career or occupation
with Manchester United.

red card The referee had already given Lee a the most severe punishment given by a
yellow card, so when he committed referee, in which the player is sent off the
another foul, he was given a red card pitch
and sent off.

shoot Ronaldo took the free kick and scored to try to score a goal
a great goal by shooting over the wall.

striker We're not scoring enough goals, so a player whose role is to score goals
our manager wants to get a new
striker.

substitute They were losing by a goal with ten to replace one player with another
minutes to go, so the manager player; also, a player used to replace
decided to substitute one of his another
defenders with a forward.

tackle One of the defenders tackled David to challenge a player for the ball
and kicked the ball out of play.
word example sentence meaning

tactical They were losing, so the manager relating to a carefully planned strategy to
made tactical substitutions and win
replaced two defenders with more
attacking players.

throw in After Joe kicked the ball out, one of to put the ball back into play after it has
the other team's players threw it in crossed the touchline by throwing it,
with a long throw into the penalty usually to a teammate
box.

touchline The manager stood on the touchline the two long boundaries along each side
shouting instructions to his players. of the pitch; also sideline

wall The defenders formed a wall to block a line of players forming a barrier to block
the free kick, and the referee pushed a free kick taken near the penalty area
them back ten meters.

yellow card If Jose gets another yellow card, he a warning issued to a player for a serious
will miss the next match. foul, two of which result in a red card and
sending off