How to Speak Soccer Football: A Public Service Announcement

Enamored by the game of soccer? Looking forward to the World Cup? Want to make friends and influence people at pubs and viewing parties, while not sounding like a complete novice? Then this post is for you. Bookmark it, e-mail it to yourself, print it out, memorize it. Just make sure you don't leave home without it. Because this is how you speak soccer.

Soccer? First things first. Most of the world, including the nation that invented the modern game, call the sport football. This makes sense seeing how it's played mostly with your feet, while what Americans call football is played with many other body parts including, it would appear, one's skull. That aside, if you want to sound like you're really in the know, or European, or both, you should consider referring to it as football. You can even call if futbol (pronounced the Spanish way) if you like, though this might take some practice as well as at least limited knowledge of the Spanish language.

On the surface, soccer/football is a simple sport. You have 11 players on each team. In the end the Germans win. Make that reference to your English fans! They will laugh and think you're really clever, even though it's become a complete cliche in the U.K. But back to soccer, er, football: each team has 11 players who aim to put the ball in the opposing team's goal. But underneath it is a world of nuance, starting with the terms that are used.

For this reason it is perhaps easiest to simply list them; the American term known to casual sports fans in the U.S., followed by the soccer/football equivalent, as fans of the beautiful game know it (by the way, only call it the that when you're being ironic). Here goes. Happy studying!

Soccer --> football

Field --> pitch

Team --> side

Road team --> visitors

Fans --> spectators 

Tie --> draw

Shutout --> clean sheet

Offense --> attack

Stadium --> ground (or grounds)

Stands --> terraces 

Locker room --> dressing room

Uniform --> kit 

Cleats --> boots

Fans --> supporters

Coach --> manager ("gaffer" if it's the head coach)

Practice --> training

Official --> referee 

Overtime --> extra time 

Sideline --> touchline or byline

Period --> half

Schedule --> fixture

To guard --> mark 

To center (a ball) --> cross

Backup --> substitute

Ejected --> sent off

Hurt --> injured

In shape --> match fit 

Speed --> pace

Fast break --> counter
MLS --> The MLS
The Spurs --> Spurs

Other useful terms include "brace" for somebody who scores two goals along with of course "hat trick" for three. Note to our Canadian readers: under no circumstances should defenders be called "defensemen" or goalies "goaltenders." That's hockey only! There are also some terms that, while acceptable to soccer aficionados, have a more advanced equivalent that will prove you're really in the know. Examples include "intermission" for halftime (yes, like a play), "linesman" for assistant referee, "fullback" for defender and "spot kick" for penalty kick. Speaking of penalty kick, don't say "PK" as that acronym is used by Americans only.

Then there are words that are surprisingly interchangeable with their equivalent from U.S. sports: dribble means moving with the ball just like it does in basketball (no traveling violation in soccer though, natch). A foul is a foul. Intercepting a pass is intercepting a pass, as long as you don't call it a "turnover." To score is to score, though in soccer sometimes you also "net" a goal or "put a bulge in the ol' onion bag."