Football glossary: 25 terms every fan should know

Football has a language of its own. Whether you're new to the game or just unsure what a commentator means, here's a plain-English glossary of the terms you'll hear most.

Scoring and results

• Clean sheet — not conceding any goals in a match.
• Brace — two goals by one player in a game.
• Hat-trick — three goals by one player in a game. A *perfect hat-trick* is one with the right foot, left foot and a header.
• Own goal — accidentally scoring into your own net.
• The treble — winning three major trophies in one season.

On the ball

• Nutmeg — passing the ball through an opponent's legs.
• One-two (give and go) — a quick exchange of passes to beat a defender.
• Through ball — a pass played into space behind the defence.
• Cross — a ball delivered from wide into the penalty area.
• The woodwork — the posts and crossbar; "hit the woodwork" means a shot off the frame.

Positions and roles

• False nine — a centre-forward who drops deep into midfield, dragging defenders out of position.
• Target man — a tall, physical striker who holds the ball up and wins headers.
• Holding midfielder — a defensive midfielder who shields the back line.
• Full-back / wing-back — wide defenders; wing-backs push much further forward.

Tactics and style

• Parking the bus — defending in numbers to protect a result.
• High press — pressuring opponents high up the pitch to win the ball back quickly.
• Counter-attack — breaking forward fast after winning possession.
• Tiki-taka — a possession style built on short, quick passing.

Competition terms

• Aggregate — the combined score over a two-legged tie.
• Derby — a match between local rivals.
• Group of death — a tournament group packed with strong teams.
• Relegation / promotion — dropping to or rising from a lower division.

Match situations

• Stoppage (added) time — minutes added on to make up for delays.
• Set piece — a free kick, corner or throw-in restart.
• Injury-time winner — a goal scored deep in stoppage time to win it.

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