Every sport has its own language, and soccer is full of slang and jargon — from a "brace" to a "nutmeg" to a "clean sheet." This glossary explains 50+ of the most common soccer terms in plain English, so you'll never be lost watching a match or talking tactics again.
Scoring & goals
- Brace — when a player scores two goals in a single match.
- Hat-trick — three goals by one player in a match. A "perfect hat-trick" is one with the left foot, right foot, and a header.
- Clean sheet — when a team doesn't concede any goals in a match. Goalkeepers and defenders prize them.
- Own goal — when a player accidentally scores into their own net.
- Tap-in — an easy goal scored from very close range.
- Screamer / worldie — a spectacular long-range or skilful goal.
- Golazo — a brilliant goal (from Spanish).
- Brace / hat-trick / haul — increasingly big scoring returns for one player.
Skills & play
- Nutmeg (or "meg") — playing the ball through an opponent's legs and collecting it on the other side.
- Rabona — kicking the ball with the leg crossed behind the standing leg.
- Megs, skill move, flick — individual tricks to beat a defender.
- One-two (give-and-go) — a quick pass and return between two players to beat an opponent.
- Through ball — a pass played into space behind the defence for a runner.
- Cross — a pass delivered from a wide area into the penalty box.
- Cutback — a pass pulled back from the byline to a teammate arriving in the box.
- First touch — a player's initial control of the ball.
Tactics & shape
- Formation — how the players are arranged, written defence-to-attack (e.g. 4-3-3). See our formations guide.
- High press — defending aggressively high up the pitch to win the ball back quickly.
- Low block — defending deep in a compact shape.
- Park the bus — defending with almost everyone behind the ball to protect a lead.
- Counter-attack — attacking quickly after winning the ball.
- Overlap — a full-back running outside the winger to provide width.
- Pivot — a holding midfielder who sits in front of the defence. A "double pivot" is two of them (as in a 4-2-3-1).
- False 9 — a striker who drops deep into midfield. (More on forward roles)
- Tiki-taka — a possession style based on short, quick passing.
Positions & players
- Number 10 — the creative attacking midfielder. (Midfield positions)
- Target man — a big, strong striker who holds the ball up.
- Sweeper-keeper — a goalkeeper who acts as an extra defender behind the line.
- Wing-back — a wide defender who attacks like a winger (as in a 5-3-2).
- Cap — one international appearance for a national team. "50 caps" means 50 games for your country.
- Captain (the armband) — the on-field leader of the team.
Match & competition
- Derby — a match between two local rivals (e.g. a city derby).
- Fixture — a scheduled match.
- Stoppage time (injury time / added time) — minutes added at the end of a half for time lost.
- Extra time — two 15-minute periods played if a knockout game is level after 90 minutes.
- Penalty shootout — how a tied knockout match is decided if extra time doesn't separate the teams.
- Aggregate — the combined score over two legs of a tie.
- Relegation / promotion — moving down or up a division based on league position.
- The double / treble — winning two or three major trophies in one season.
Officials & rules
- Offside — being ahead of the last defender when the ball is played to you. (Full rule)
- Booking — a yellow card.
- Sending off — a red card; the player must leave and can't be replaced.
- VAR — Video Assistant Referee, used to review key decisions.
- Advantage — when the referee lets play continue after a foul because stopping would benefit the fouling team.
- Handball — deliberately playing the ball with the hand or arm.
Frequently asked questions
What is a brace in soccer?
A brace is when a single player scores two goals in one match. It's one step below a hat-trick (three goals). So if a striker "bags a brace," they've scored twice.
What is a hat-trick in soccer?
A hat-trick is three goals scored by the same player in a single match. A "perfect hat-trick" is scoring one with the left foot, one with the right foot, and one with the head.
What is a clean sheet in soccer?
A clean sheet is when a team finishes a match without conceding a goal. It's a key statistic for goalkeepers and defenders — keeping a clean sheet means the opposition didn't score.
What is a nutmeg in soccer?
A nutmeg (or "meg") is a skill move where a player plays the ball through an opponent's legs and runs around to collect it on the other side. It's one of the most embarrassing ways to be beaten in a 1v1.
What does "cap" mean in soccer?
A cap is one appearance for a national team. The term dates back to when players were given an actual cap for each international game. A player with "100 caps" has represented their country 100 times.
Keep learning
Now that you know the lingo, explore the rules of soccer, the positions and numbers, and the best football formations — or build your own lineup with the free RenderFoot lineup builder.
