Soccer Definitions

Advantage: Rule that lets play continue after a foul, if stopping the action immediately would be disadvantageous to the team that was fouled. Assist: The pass or passes which immediately precede a goal; a maximum of two assists can be credited for one goal. Attacking team: The team that has possession of the ball

Back pass: A pass made to a trailing player.

Banana kick: A kick with a big curve.

Bicycle (scissors) kick: Overhead kick.

Break: When a team quickly advances the ball down the field in an attempt to get its players near the opponent's goal before the defenders have a chance to retreat; also called an advantage.

Breakaway: When an attacker with the ball approaches the goal undefended; this exciting play pits a sole attacker against the goalkeeper in a one-on-one showdown.

Cap: A represents an appearance in a national team match for a player.

Charge: To run into an opponent; legal if done from the front or side of the ball carrier; illegal against a player without the ball or from behind.

Chest trap: When a player uses his chest to slow down and control a ball in the air.

Chip: A high pass over a defender's head to a teammate, or a shot on goal from close range away from the goalie's reach.

Clear: A defensive kick that attempts to get the ball out of a scoring area, particularly the penalty area.

Cleats: The metal, plastic or rubber points in the bottom of a soccer shoe used to provide a player with traction; term also used to refer to the shoes themselves.

Corner kick: A free kick taken by an attacking player whenever a defender last touches the ball before it completely crosses the goal line.

Counterattack: An attack launched by a defending team soon after it regains possession of the ball.

Creating space: When a player from the attacking team moves without the ball to draw defenders away from the ball carrier and give him space.

Cross or crossing pass: A pass from an attacking player near the sideline to a teammate in the middle or opposite side of the field; used to give the teammate a good scoring opportunity.

Crossbar: The horizontal beam that forms the top of a goal and sits on top of the two posts; it is 24 feet long and supported 8 feet above the ground.

Cut down the angle: When the goalie comes out of the goal several feet to make himself closer and larger to an attacker, leaving the attacker less net to shoot at.

Cut off: When a defensive player keeps his body between an attacker and the defender's goal, forcing the attacker out towards the sidelines.

Dangerous play: An action on the field ruled by the referee that will likely cause an injury; will at minimum draw a yellow card but could draw a red card for the offending player.

Deflection: The ricochet of a ball after it hits a player.

Direct free kick: A free kick that can be shot directly into the goal without being touched by a second person.

Diving header: A ball struck near ground level by the head of a diving player.

Draw: A game that ends with a tied score.

Dribble: To control the ball on the ground with the feet.

Drop ball: A method of restarting a game where the referee drops the ball between 2 players facing each other.

Drop kick: When a goalie drops the ball from his hands and kicks it before it hits the ground.

End line: Boundary lines marking the ends of the field.

Fake (feint): A move by a player meant to deceive an opposing player; used by a ball carrier to make a defender think the ball carrier is going to dribble, pass or shoot in a certain direction when he is not.

Far post: Goalpost farthest from the ball.

Foot trap: A player's use of the bottom or sides of his shoe to control a rolling or low-bouncing ball.

Forward pass: A pass made towards the opposition's goal.

Foul: A violation of the rules for which an official assesses a free kick.

Free kick: A kick awarded to a player for a foul committed by the opposition; the player kicks a stationary ball without any opposing players within 10 yards of him.

Give-and-go (Wall Pass): A player making a short pass to a teammate and then receiving the return pass.

Goal: The manner in which points are scored in soccer; to score, the ball must completely cross over the goal line and into the goal.

Goal: Standing in the center of the goal lines; each goal consists of two wooden posts, 24 feet apart, and a crossbar, 8 feet above the ground.

Goalkeeper: Defends the goal; the only player who can handle the ball within the penalty area with his hands.

Goal kick: A free kick taken either by the goalkeeper or member of the defending team when the attacking team puts the ball over the goal line.

Goal lines: Lines which runs from corner flag to corner flag across each end of the field of play and which the goal is situated; represents the end of the playing area at the far end of each side of the field.

Hand ball: Infraction called when a player other than a goalkeeper intentionally plays a ball with his hand; if a defender handles within the penalty area, a penalty shot is awarded; if the goalkeeper handles the ball inside the penalty area, an indirect free kick is awarded.

Hacking: Kicking an opponent's legs.

Hat trick: Term referring to a three-goal performance in a single match by an individual player.

Heading: Using one's head to score, pass or control the ball.

Header: The act of heading a ball.

Indirect free kick: Free kick that can't result in a goal unless it touches another player first.

Injury time: Time added to the end of each half to compensate for stoppages due to injuries or the scoring of a goal.

Instep drive: A straight shot taken with the instep of a player's foot; usually the most powerful and accurate of shots.

Juggling: Keeping a ball in the air with any part of the body besides the hands or arms; used for practice and developing coordination.

Kickoff: The method of starting a game or restarting it after each goal; a player passes the ball forward to a teammate from the center spot.

Lead pass: A pass sent ahead of a moving teammate to arrive at a location at the same time he does.

Linesmen: Now known as Assistant Referees. The 2 officials who assist the center referee in making his decisions; they monitor the sidelines and goal lines to determine when a ball goes out of bounds and they carry a flag to signal their observations.

Loft (lob): A high-arcing kick.

Man-to-man: A type of defense where each defender is assigned to mark a different forward from the other team; the most common type of defense for national-level teams.

Marking: Guarding a player to prevent him from advancing the ball towards the net, making an easy pass or getting the ball from a teammate.

Match: A soccer game.

Mismatch: When a particular offensive player is far superior to the defender marking him.

Near post: Goal post nearest to the ball.

Net: Hemp, jute or nylon cord draped over the frame of the goal and extending behind it; also used to refer to the goal itself.

Nutmeg: When an attacker moves forward by passing a ball through an opponent's legs.

Obstruction: Illegally preventing an opponent from playing the ball by blocking their path to the ball. Results in an indirect free kick.

Officials: The referee and 2 assistant referees who work together to make sure the game is played according to the rules of soccer; responsible for stopping and restarting play, keeping track of the score and the time remaining and citing violations of the rules, called fouls; they wear uniforms that distinguish them from the players on both teams.

Offside: When an offensive player does not have an opposing player (not the goalie) between them and the goal line when the ball is last played forward by a member of the attacking team.

Offside trap: A defensive scheme which attempts to push defensive players forward in the hopes of putting an attacking player offside.

One-timer (one-touch): When an attacker strikes a shot off a pass or rebound without stopping the ball to gain control.

Open: Describes an attacking player who does not have anyone marking him.

Outlet passes: When a goaltender or defender passes the ball from close to his own goal toward the other team's goal; used to start a counterattack.

Overlap: When a winger moves away from the sideline towards the center of the field to create space for a teammate to advance the ball undefended along the side of the field.

Passing: When a player kicks the ball to his teammate; used to move the ball closer to the opposing goal, to keep the ball away from an opponent or to give the ball to a player who is in a better position to score.

Penalty kick: Direct free kick from 12 yards in front of the goal.

Penetrate: To advance the ball behind opposing defenders (between them and their goal).

Possession: Control of the ball.

Referee: The center official; he makes all final decisions, acts as timekeeper, calls all fouls and starts and stops play.

Save: The goalkeeper stopping a scoring opportunity by either catching the ball or knocking it away from the goal.

Screening (shielding): When dribbling, staying between the ball and the opponent to protect the ball.

Shinguard: Pads that strap onto a player's lower leg to protect the shins should he or she be kicked there.

Shooting: When a player kicks the ball at the opponent's net in an attempt to score a goal.

Shorthanded: A team playing with less than its full complement of 11 players.

Shot: A ball kicked or headed by a player at the opponent's net in an attempt to score a goal.

Shoulder charge: minimal shoulder-to-shoulder contact by a defender against a ball carrier; the only contact allowed by the rules unless a defender touches the ball first.

Shutout: Preventing the opposition from scoring any goals in a game; for example, a score of 2-0 or 4-0; goalies are often credited with shutouts because they did not allow any goals to get past them.

Slide tackle: Stripping the ball from a dribbler by making contact with the ball while sliding on the turf.

Square pass: A pass made by a player to a teammate running alongside him.

Steal: When a player takes the ball away from an opposing player

Tackle: To take the ball away from an opponent by using the feet.

Through-pass: A pass that splits a group of defenders.

Touchline (sideline): Line marking the side of the field.

Trap: To bring the ball under control with any part of the body.

Volley: Kicking the ball in or out of mid-air.

Wall: Group of defenders standing shoulder-to-shoulder to defend a free kick, usually near the goal.