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Advantage rule:

a clause in the rules that directs the referee to refrain from stopping play for a foul if a stoppage would benefit the team that committed the violation.

 

Advantages:

situations where a team has possession of the ball and outnumbers the opposition near the opposing goal.

 

American football:

a term used by non-Americans to distinguish the popular U.S. sport of football from soccer which they also call football.

 

APSL:

American Professional Soccer League — the nation's only outdoor professional soccer league since 1991, consisting of 8 teams in the U.S. and Canada (expanding to 12 by 1995).

 

Assist:

the pass or passes which immediately precede a goal; a maximum of two assists can be credited for one goal.

 

Attacking midfielder:

the most forward-playing midfielder, playing right behind the forwards; he supports the offense by providing passes to forwards to set up goals.

 

Attacker:

any player on the team that has possession of the ball.

 

Attacking team:

the team that has possession of the ball.

 

AYSO:

American Youth Soccer Organization — an administrative body of youth soccer which sets rules and provides information and equipment to youth league referees, coaches and players.

 

Back:

a defender.

 

Back header:

a player's use of his head to direct the ball backwards.

 

Back tackle:

an attempt by a defender to take the ball away from a ball carrier by swinging the defender's leg in front of the ball from behind.

 

Ball carrier:

a player that has possession of the ball.

 

Banana kick:

a type of kick that gives the ball a curved trajectory; used to get the ball around an obstacle such as a goaltender or defender.

 

Beat:

to get the ball through or around an opponent by dribbling or shooting.

 

Behind the defender:

the area between a defender and his goal.

 

Bicycle kick:

when a player kicks the ball in mid-air backwards and over his own head, usually making contact above waist level; an acrobatic shot.

 

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.

 

Bundesliga:

The German professional soccer league.

 

Cap:

a recognition earned by a player for each appearance in an international game for his country.

 

Carrying the ball:

a foul called on a goalkeeper when he takes more than 4 steps while holding or bouncing the ball.

 

Caution:

see Yellow card.

 

Center:

a pass from a player located near the sideline towards the middle of the field; used to get the ball closer to the front of the goal; also called a cross.

 

Center circle:

a circular marking with a 10-yard radius in the center of the field from which kickoffs are taken to start or restart the game.

 

Center line:

see Midfield line.

 

Center spot:

a small circular mark inside the center circle that denotes the center of the field from which kickoffs are taken to start or restart the game.

 

Central defender:

a player who guards the area directly in front of his own goal in a zone defense; does not exist in a man-to-man defense.

 

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 pass:

a pass lofted into the air from a player to a teammate; used primarily to evade a defender by kicking the ball over his head.

 

Chip shot:

a kick lofted into the air to try to sail the ball over the goalkeeper's head and still make it under the crossbar into the goal.

 

Clear:

to kick the ball away from one's goal.

 

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.

 

Club:

a team that plays in a league.

 

CONCACAF:

The Confederation Norte-Centroamericana y Del Caribe de Footbal — the regional organization of North American and Central American soccer under which World Cup qualifying matches are played; member countries include the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Central American and Caribbean countries.

 

Consolation match:

a tournament game played between the losers of the 2 semifinal matches to determine the third-place team.

 

Corner arc:

a quarter-circle with a radius of 1 yard located at each of the 4 corners of the field; on a corner kick, the ball must be kicked from inside this arc.

 

Corner area:

see Corner arc.

 

Corner flag:

the flag located at each of the 4 corners of the field, inside the corner area.

 

Corner kick:

a type of restart where the ball is kicked from the corner arc in an attempt to score; awarded to an attacking team when the ball crosses the goal line last touched by the defending team.

 

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:

when a player attempts a play that the referee considers dangerous to that player or others, such as trying to kick the ball out of the goalie's hands, even if no contact is made.

 

Defenders:

the players on the team that does not have possession of the ball.

 

Defending team:

the team that does not have possession of the ball.

 

Defense:

a team's function of preventing the opposition from scoring.

 

Defensemen:

the 3 or 4 players on a team whose primary task is to stop the opposition from scoring; also called fullbacks.

 

Defensive midfielder:

the player positioned just in front of his team's defense; he is often assigned to mark the opposition's best offensive player; also called the midfield anchor.

 

Defensive pressure:

when one or more defenders closely mark a ball carrier to harass him into losing the ball.

 

Deflection:

the ricochet of a ball after it hits a player.

 

Direct free kick:

a kick awarded to a player for a serious foul committed by the opposition; the player kicks a stationary ball with no opposing players within 10 yards of him; a goal can be scored directly from this kick without the ball touching another player.

 

Diving header:

a ball struck near ground level by the head of a diving player.

 

Draw:

a game that ends with a tied score.

 

The Draw:

the selection of World Cup teams to place them into playing groups for the tournament and the event surrounding this selection.

 

Dribbler:

a player who advances the ball while controlling it with his feet.

 

Dribbling:

the basic skill of advancing the ball with the feet while controlling it.

 

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 just after it hits the ground.

 

Endline:

see Goal line.

 

English Football Association:

an association of English soccer teams founded in 1863 to set soccer rules.

 

European Cup:

the championship tournament played between Europe's top national teams.

 

F.A.:

Football Association; often used to refer to the English Football Association, who, along with FIFA and other football associations, helps maintain the rules of soccer.

 

Fake or 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:

the goalpost furthest from the ball.

 

Field:

the rectangular area where soccer matches are played.

 

FIFA:

Federation Internationale de Football Association — the official governing body of international soccer since 1904 which established the World Cup tournament; helps set and revise rules of the game, called the 17 Laws.

 

FIFA World Cup:

a solid gold statue given to the champion of each World Cup tournament to keep for the next 4 years.

 

Flick header:

a player's use of his head to deflect the ball.

 

Foot trap:

a player's use of his foot to control a rolling or low-bouncing ball.

 

Football:

name for soccer everywhere except in the U.S.; also, what American's call their popular team sport which evolved from soccer and rugby.

 

Formation:

the arrangement into positions of players on the field; for example, a 4-3-3 formation places 4 defenders, 3 midfielders and 3 forwards on the field.

 

Forward line:

the 3 or 4 forwards who work together to try and score goals; consists of two wingers and 1 or 2 strikers.

 

Forward pass:

a pass made towards the opposition's goal.

 

Forwards:

the 3 or 4 players on a team who are responsible for most of a team's scoring; they play in front of the rest of their team where they can take most of its shots; strikers and wingers.

 

Foul:

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

 

4-2-4:

a formation that consists of 4 defenders, 2 midfielders and 4 forwards.

 

4-3-3:

a formation that consists of 4 defenders, 3 midfielders and 3 forwards; the most common formation used by teams.

 

4-4-2:

a formation that consists of 4 defenders, 4 midfielders and 2 forwards.

 

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.

 

Front header:

the striking of a ball in the air by a player's forehead; the most common type of header.

 

Front tackle:

an attempt by a defender to kick the ball away from an attacker by approaching him from a head-on position.

 

Fullbacks:

see Defensemen.

 

Goal:

a ball that crosses the goal line between the goalposts and below the crossbar for which a point is awarded; also, the 8-foot high, 24-foot wide structure consisting of two posts, a crossbar and a net into which all goals are scored.

 

Goal area:

the rectangular area 20 yards wide by 6 yards deep in front of each goal from which all goal kicks are taken; inside this area, it is illegal for opposing players to charge a goalie not holding the ball.

 

Goal kick:

a type of restart where the ball is kicked from inside the goal area away from the goal; awarded to the defending team when a ball that crossed the goal line was last touched by a player on the attacking team.

 

Goal line:

the field boundary running along its width at each end; also called the end line; runs right across the front of the goal; the line which a ball must completely cross for a goal to be scored.

 

Goalie:

see Goalkeeper.

 

Goalkeeper:

the player positioned directly in front of the goal who tries to prevent shots from getting into the net behind him; the only player allowed to use his hands and arms, though only within the penalty area.

 

Goalmouth:

the front opening to each goal.

 

Goalposts:

the two vertical beams located 24 feet apart which extend 8 feet high to form the sides of a goal and support the crossbar.

 

Hacking:

kicking an opponent's legs.

 

Halfback:

see Midfielder.

 

Halftime:

the intermission between the 2 periods or halves of a game.

 

Halves:

see Periods.

 

Hand ball:

a foul where a player touches the ball with his hand or arm; the opposing team is awarded a direct free kick.

 

Hat trick:

3 or more goals scored in a game by a single player.

 

Header:

the striking of a ball in the air by a player's head.

 

Hook:

the curved trajectory of a ball due to spin imparted on it by a kicker, such as in a banana kick.

 

IFAB:

International Football Association Board — the organization consisting of 4 British soccer organizations and FIFA that approves all changes in the official international rules of soccer called the 17 Laws.

 

In bounds:

when a ball is within the boundaries of the field, having not completely crossed a sideline or goal line.

 

In play:

when a ball is within the boundaries of the field and play has not been stopped by the referee.

 

Indirect free kick:

a kick awarded to a player for a less-serious foul committed by the opposition; the player kicks a stationary ball without any opposing players within 10 yards of him; a goal can only be scored on this kick after the ball has touched another player.

 

Injury time:

time added to the end of any period according to the referee's judgment of time lost due to player injuries or intentional stalling by a team.

 

Instep drive:

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

 

Intermission:

the 5-minute rest period between periods of a game.

 

Juggling:

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

 

Jules Rimet Trophy:

the trophy given to the World Cup winner between 1930 and 1970, after which it was permanently retired.

 

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.

 

Laws of the Game:

the 17 main rules for soccer established by FIFA.

 

Lead pass:

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

 

League:

an alliance of teams that organizes sporting competition.

 

Linesmen:

the 2 officials who assist the 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.

 

Linkmen:

see Midfielders.

 

Loft or 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.

 

Midfield:

the region of the field near the midfield line; the area controlled by the midfielders.

 

Midfield anchor:

See Defensive midfielder.

 

Midfield line or center line:

a line that divides the field in half along its width.

 

Midfielders:

the 2, 3 or 4 players who link together the offensive and defensive functions of a team; they play behind their forwards.

 

MISL:

Major Indoor Soccer League — started in the U.S. in 1977 playing games of 6 players per side in modified hockey rinks covered by artificial turf; became the MSL in 1990.

 

Mismatch:

when a particular offensive player is far superior to the defender marking him.

 

MLS:

Major League Soccer — the new U.S. outdoor league scheduled to begin play in the Spring of 1995.

 

MSL:

Major Soccer League — a U.S. indoor league which formed in 1990 from the MISL and folded in 1992.

 

NASL:

North American Soccer League — an outdoor league formed in the U.S. in 1967 that attracted great international players including Pele and huge audiences to the U.S. in the 1970s; folded in 1985.

 

National team:

a team consisting of the best players in a country chosen to represent it in international competitions such as the World Cup.

 

NCAA:

National Collegiate Athletic Association — governs and organizes sports at the collegiate level; has its own soccer committee.

 

Near post:

the goalpost closest 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.

 

NPSL:

National Professional Soccer League — a U.S. indoor league that plays its games in a modified hockey rink, much like the former MISL; plays by non-traditional rules to create a faster-paced, higher-scoring game; also, a different league by the same name that played in the 1960s, merging with another league to form the NASL.

 

Obstruction:

when a defensive player, instead of going after the ball, uses his body to prevent an offensive player