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Created:12/20/99
Last Updated:
May 26, 2008

"How to sound like an expert"

This is a list of terms and sayings that you will hear around a soccer field. Some I accumulated from listening to coaches that knew what they were talking about, some came from reading soccer books, some came from Soccer-Coach-l, Soccer-Ref-l, Women's Soccer mailing lists, some from the Oregon Youth Soccer Manual, some from watching soccer on television, some I just accumulated over time and don't know where they came from and some I just made up to clarify soccer concepts to my teams. Some of these are cute, some are obvious and some are obscure. But say them at the right time and someone is bound to ask if you grew up in Europe or South America. Ken Gamble, 1997 - originally published at http://www.decatursports.com

A

"A ball in the back of the net knows no gender." This is what I tell my coed teams when they think that only boys can score.
Advantage rule - The referee allows play to continue when an attacking player is fouled by a defending player and to call the foul and stop play would result in the attacking team losing an advantage (on the attack with good scoring chances). If the advantage does not materialize, the referee may still call the foul (blow the whistle) and stop play and award the attacking team with a free kick at the point
where the foul occurred.
Advantages -
All Ball! - what coaches and parents like to yell when they feel that a tackle was properly made. Usually this is a pre-emptive strike yelled just at the referee just before the referee pulls out a yellow or red card to signify that it was a foul.
American Football - What the rest of the world calls our pointy football.
Assist - the pass or passes that immediately precede a goal. Only the last pass or the last two passes can qualify as an assist to go in the record book.
Assistant Referee - Prior to 1996 they were known as linesmen/lineswomen. There are two per game. Their job mainly consists of signaling balls out of touch, goal kicks, corner kicks, and offsides positions and to assist the Center referee.
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.
Away - clear the ball out of the area it is in, usually the Penalty Area (PA)
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.

B

B International - An "international" is a match between two national teams. It does not include a game between just any two teams that come from different countries.
A "full" international is a match where both teams are "The" national team (sometimes called the senior national team) from their country. It does not cover, say, U-23 teams playing, which are referred to as "B Internationals."
Both teams have to be the national team from their country.
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 - going for a loose ball; for example, "Gary's ball"; yelling "mine" may be construed as ungentlemanly conduct, trying to deceive an opponent verbally.
Ball-to-Hand - This term means an unintentioned handling of a ball by a player other than the goal-keeper in the Penalty Area. This action is not deliberate and requires no penalty. In other words movement of the ball into the players hand. This is the opposite of Hand-to-Ball which means movement of the hand into the ball which is considered as a deliberate action by the player and is penalized.
Banana Kick - A kick (usually a long corner kick) that curves so much that it take the shape of a banana. The idea is to curve the ball from the corner directly into the goal.
Bending Runs - runs made by players on the team with the ball that are not straight. If you run straight down the field in front of a teammate you can not receive a pass since your back is to the passer. By making a bending run you are always in a position "open" to a pass.
Boots - soccer shoes - what Americans refer to as cleats.
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 football league.
By-line - what we, Americans, normally refer to as the goal line. The end line at each end of the field that the goals are lined up on.

C

Cap - Recognition earned by a player for each appearance in an international game for his country.
Cards - Because soccer is often played between players and fans who may not speak each other's language the card system was devised as the universal symbol of fouls. See also Red Card and Yellow Card.
Carry - Dribble
Carrying the ball - a foul called on a goalkeeper when he takes more than 4 steps while holding or bouncing the ball.
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 - The Midfield line that cuts the field in half. It is parallel to the goals.
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.
Chaining - linking drills together so that complicated skills can be learned by a series of simple steps.
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.
Charging - A method of unbalancing the player who has possession, or is attempting to gain possession, of the ball. The maneuver of using a "shoulder" (actually from elbow up to and including the shoulder) against an opponent’s shoulder to gain an advantage; permissible only when the ball is playable (i.e. within 3 feet).
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.
Chunking - spatial awareness of other players and positions
Clear - to kick the ball away from one's goal.
Clearing - The act of moving the ball out of the vicinity of one’s own goal area by throwing (goalkeeper only) or kicking it (generally up the sideline).
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. See also "Boots".
Close down - pressure the ball immediately
Club Linesman - an un-certified assistant referee or linesman. They are restricted to helping make out-of-bound calls.
Coachable Moment - A quick freeze of the action during a drill. The coach blows his whistle. The players freeze their positions. The coach gets in, makes an observation or point, and then immediately gets back out. No preaching and no long drawn out speeches. This is the consensus pick among coaches as the best way to coach drills.
Coerver - Weil Coerver - well known Dutch coach who teaches soccer moves and a total soccer concept known as the Coerver method. It relies on lots of repetition to gain ball handling skills.
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.
Contain - Slow down player with the ball
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 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. A kick made by the attacking team from the corner arc on the side of the field where the ball went out of play. A corner kick is awarded when the ball is last touched by a defensive player and goes out of play over the goal line without resulting in a goal. Opponents must be at least 10 yards away from the ball when the kick is taken. A goal may be scored directly (without being touched by another player) from a corner kick.
Counterattack - an attack launched by a defending team soon after it regains possession of
the ball.
Creating Space - A term meaning to draw your mark away from your teammates or away from the area that you want open. The most obvious use of this is to draw defenders out of the box on set plays (i.e. corner kicks) so that a player on your team can use that space to receive, shoot or head the ball.
Cross or Crossing Pass - a kick into the middle of the goal box, 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. A pass in which the ball is kicked from one side of the field to the other side.
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 off the line - A defense against teams that throw "down the line".

D

Dangerous play - when a player attempts a play that the referee considers dangerous to that player or others. Play that is likely to cause injury. Examples are high kicking, playing while lying on the ground if a defender is also playing the ball, or playing the ball while it is in the possession of the goalkeeper. Most referees include that there should be a "flinch factor" by the opposing player for it to be a dangerous player. In other words if the play does not cause the opposing player to "flinch" or hold back from playing the ball then it probably is not a dangerous play. What is a dangerous play at U10 may not be a dangerous play at U14.
Defender - Also called fullback. A player who functions primarily in the defensive third of the field and whose major role is to repel attacks on the goal by the opposing team.
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.
tournament and the event surrounding this selection.
Direct Free Kick - a free kick that is awarded for fouls that involve physical contact such as tripping, holding, or pushing or for a hand ball by field players or for a hand ball by the goalkeeper when he is outside of the penalty area. A free kick requires the other team to back off of the ball ten yards and allow a free striking of the ball. A free kick can score by going directly into goal. It does not have to be touched by anyone other than the kicker. A free kick from which a goal can be scored directly (i.e. without first being touched by another player). It is awarded for substantial infractions of the rules (see Summary of the FIFA Laws of the Game, Law XII, this section). Opponents must be at least 10 yards away from the ball (opposing players may stand on their own goal line between the goal posts), but the player taking the kick may do so without waiting if he/she wishes. The ball is not in play until it has traveled its own circumference. The ball must be stationary when kicked and the kicker may not touch the ball a second time until it has been played by another player (of either team).
Diving header - a ball struck near ground level by the head of a diving player.
Don't be caught flat
Down the line - a cry heard in youth soccer during Throw-ins meaning to throw the ball close to the touch line toward your opponent's goal rather than toward the center of the field.
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 World Cup Championship.
Dribbling - run with the ball at your feet, playing it on every step or every other step. Used in close proximity to an opponent.
Driving - (running with the ball) playing the ball well forward and running after it. Used to accelerate away from an opponent.
Drop - pass backwards into negative space (usually) dropping a ball for a teammate to possess or shoot.
Drop ball - a method of restarting a game where the referee drops the ball between 2 players facing each other. A ball held by the referee and allowed to fall directly to the ground between two opponents. The ball is in play after it touches the ground. A drop ball restarts the game after play is stopped for no penalty situation (e.g. after an injury). The ball is dropped where it was last in play or at the nearest point outside the penalty area. A goal may be scored directly from a drop ball.
Drop kick - when a goalie drops the ball from his hands and kicks it before it hits the ground.

E

Early Service - Not church at 8:00am on Sunday but rather to cross or pass the ball into the 18 Yard box quickly. This puts the ball far enough out that the keeper has to risk coming out of the goal after the ball and leaving an undefended "empty" net. The reason that attackers like an early service is that the ball is served high and behind the sweeper and fullbacks who have to risk turning their backs to the attackers to clear the ball. They also risk an "Own Goal" if they play the ball wrong.
18 Yard Box - The large area in front of the goal known as the penalty area. Most fouls in this area against the defnsive team will result in a penalty kick.
Empty net - A goal without a keeper in front of it. Often the goal is emptied on purpose late in a match by the trailing team in order to get numbers up on the offensive end of the field.
Endline - see Goal line.
English Football Association - the F.A., an association of English soccer teams founded in 1863 to set soccer rules.
Escort - A defensive move using the attackers own momentum and no passing lanes to "escort" the attacker out of bounds.
Escort him out of bounds. A good delaying form of defense against teams that tend to dribble too deeply into the corners before serving their crosses into the mouth of the goal. As long as the attacker is going wide the defender will try to deny the cross while defending against a cut-back dribble into the middle. This defense often pushes the attacker into an error so deep that he carries or shoots the ball over the goal line.
European Cup - the championship tournament played between Europe's top national teams.

F

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 and Wide - Spread out using the width and length of the field
Far post - goal post farthest from the ball
Field - the pitch, the rectangular area where soccer matches are played.
FIFA - The association that rules the world of futbol "soccer". You may click here to see a copy of the latest FIFA rules on our website.
Finish - The ability to complete a play or move. Younger players have problems "finishing". Because they lack confidence in their ability to shoot or pass accurately from long distances they tend to dribble or possess the ball too long and end up losing the ball to an opponent. Strikers must be "good finishers".
Flat Back Four - A popular defensive formation that relies on lots of support.
Flick - A quick header, flick header
Foot trap - a player's use of the bottom or sides of his shoe to control a rolling or low-bouncing ball.
Formation - the arrangement into positions of players on the field; When listed as numbers formations always leave the goalkeeper off and work from the defensive end to the offensive end. 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 2, 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. Player who functions primarily in the attacking third of the field and whose major responsibility is to score goals.
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 - also one of the most popular formations currently used by World Cup teams.
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 feet of him. See also Direct free kick and Indirect free kick
Friendly - a British term meaning a practice match as in "We had a friendly with a team before the regular season began." It simply means that the match does not count in official standings (e.g., not a World Cup qualifying match). It's another name for a practice match or scrimmage, but you can't get people to pay $30 to watch a "scrimmage". Did you know that last year's friendly Argentina v Brasil was shown only on Pay Per View? And the stadium was sold out (scalpers had a field day).
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.
Fullback - A rear defender. See also Defender
Full International - An "international" is a match between two national teams. It does not include a game between just any two teams that come from different countries.
A "full" international is a match where both teams are "The" national team (sometimes called the senior national team) from their country. It does not cover, say, U-23 teams playing, which are referred to as "B Internationals."
Both teams have to be the national team from their country.
Funnel - an imaginary funnel shape on the field with the wide portion of the funnel originating at the points where the mid-field line meets the touch-lines and the narrow end of the funnel pouring into the mouth of your own goal. This is a term used by the defense to get the opponent out of the funnel area where the angle on shots is good.

G

Get it out of there! - An obvious call to kick the ball out from in front of the goal.
Get square. - an offensive tactic of getting ten to twenty yards away from your teammate who possesses the ball at a 90 degree angle (formed between the teammate and the goal.)
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. A one-point score occurring when the whole of the ball passes entirely over the goal line, between the vertical goal posts, and under the horizontal crossbar. A goal is not scored if the ball was not touched by another player (of either team) after an indirect free kick, goal kick, kick off, or throw in.
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. Area (20 x 6 yd. on a full-size field) marked within the penalty area, and directly in front of goal, from which all goal kicks originate.
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. Taken by any defending player to restart the game after the ball goes out of play over the goal line, having last been touched by an attacking player. It may be taken from any point within the half of the goal area nearest where the ball went out. All opposing players must stand outside the penalty area. To be in play, the ball must leave the penalty area (inbounds); otherwise the kick is retaken.
Goal line - the field boundary running along its width at each end; also called the end line or by-line; runs right across the front of the goal; the line which a ball must completely cross for a goal to be scored.
Goalie - Goalkeeper, GK, keeper - other names for 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. Player who functions primarily in the penalty area and whose major responsibility is to prevent the opponents’ shots from entering the goal for a score. The goalkeeper is the only player allowed to touch or pick up the ball with his/her hands, and may only do so when the ball is within his/her own penalty area. The keeper is the team’s last line of defense.
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. See also far post and near post.
Goalside - Keep opponent with or without the ball towards the outside touchline

H

Hacking - kicking an opponent's legs.
Half and Half - This is what I yell to my goalkeeper. It means that, if the attacker had a clear view of my goalkeeper and the goal, then half of that view of the goal should be on one side of the keeper and the other half on the other side of the keeper. I don't mean that half of the goal should be on one side of the keeper and the other half on the other side of the keeper - rather "HALF OF THE VIEW". Its a spatial/angle concept putting the goalkeeper in center of the attacker's shooting angle allowing the goalkeeper the best defensive position in most circumstances.
Halfback - Midfielder.
Halftime - the intermission between the 2 periods or halves of a game.
Halves - see Periods.
Handle - What the goalkeeper can do inside of the 18 Yard Box - use his hands to pick up the ball.
Hand-to-Ball - This term means deliberate handling of a ball by a player other than the goal-keeper in the Penalty Area. This is considered as a deliberate action by the player and is penalized. In other words movement of the hand towards the ball. This is the opposite of Ball-to-Hand which means a movement of the ball into the players hand which is not deliberate. That action requires no penalty.
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.
"Heels on the Line" - Coaches often yell "Heels on the Line" to their midfielders to remind them to remain wide.
Help - Support teammate in trouble
Hips open - this is the way a player should receive the pass from a teammate. By having you hips open to the field in the direction that you are attacking you can receive the ball on your back foot without stopping or trapping it and thus can play it forward immediately. Also the "hips open" position allows the player to see the whole field so he can remain aware of open teammates or defenders.
Hook - the curved trajectory of a ball due to spin imparted on it by a kicker, such as in a banana kick.
Hospital Pass - a pass from one teammate to another that should be crisp but instead is too soft. This results in a pass that becomes a 50/50 ball instead of one that is easily received without being contested by the opposition. A hospital pass is just what it says it is - a pass that could result in an injury that puts the receiver in the hospital.

I

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.
Illegal Throw-in - violation of legal throw-in requirements.
In bounds - when a ball is within the boundaries of the field, having not completely crossed a sideline or goal line.
Indirect Free Kick - a free kick that is awarded for other fouls that are judged to be not serious - such as obstruction, dangerous play or charging. Indirect kicks must touch another player (either team) before the ball goes into the net in order to score. The player kicks a stationary ball without any opposing players within 10 feet of him; a goal can only be scored on this kick after the ball has touched another player. A free kick from which a goal cannot be scored until the ball is touched by another player. It is awarded for technical and minor infractions of the rules (see Summary of the FIFA Laws of the Game, Law XII, this section). Opponents must be at least 10 yards away from the ball (opposing players may stand on their own goal line between the goal posts), but the player taking the kick may do so without waiting if he/she wishes. The ball is not in play until it has traveled its own circumference. The ball must be stationary when kicked and the kicker may not touch the ball a second time until it has been played by another player (of either team).
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.
In play - when a ball is within the boundaries of the field and play has not been stopped by the referee.
Instep drive - a straight shot taken with the instep of a player's foot; usually the most powerful and accurate of shots.
Inswinging - A kick that curves in towards the goal mouth.
International - An "international" is a match between two national teams. It does not include a game between just any two teams that come from different countries.
A "full" international is a match where both teams are "The" national team (sometimes called the senior national team) from their country. It does not cover, say, U-23 teams playing, which are referred to as "B Internationals."
Both teams have to be the national team from their country.
Intermission - the 5-minute rest period between periods of a game.
In Touch - A ball that is out of play is called "in touch" - A ball that crosses the plane of the touch line or goal line is in or out of play. It does not have to make contact with the ground or an object. This means it can be blown in or out of bounds without ever actually touching a player or ground.
ITOOTR - Abbreviation meaning In the Opinion of the Referee which is what matters in any ruling.

J

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 and replaced by the World Cup.

K

Keeper! - goal keeper command for the ball - Also used is the one syllable "Keep".
Keeper's in charge - Yelled to the keeper to remind him to communicate to all defenders on corner kicks and throw-ins deep in your own territory as to who is to mark which opponent. This is especially important when opponents overload the far post on corner kicks.
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. Officially begins the game at each half and restarts play after a goal is scored. The ball must go forward (into the opponent’s half of the field) and is in play after rolling its own circumference (about 27 inches). This was changed in the July 1997 FIFA rules to "the ball must move." The player kicking off must not play the ball again until it has been played by another player (of either team). Opponents must be at least 10 yards away from the ball in their own half of the field when the kick off is taken.

L

Laws of the Game - the 17 main rules for soccer established by FIFA.
Law XVIII - Law 18 is the unwritten law that requires referees to apply common sense to officiating a game. In other words a referee should apply the 17 Laws of the Game so that they do not interfere with the fairness of the game at hand.
Lead pass - a pass sent ahead of a moving teammate to arrive at a location at the same time he does.
Legal slide tackle - most tackles where the defender gets all or most of the ball are considered legal. However, tackles from the front "cleats up" and almost any tackle from the rear are considered illegal by most referees.
Legal Throw-in - A throw-in made with both hands. Hands must begin behind the head. The ball can not spin when thrown - must be thrown with equal force by both hands. Both feet must remain on the ground. Part of each foot must be on the touch line or behind it.
Let the ball do the work. - Self explanatory - Pass when you can, dribble when you must.
Line - deliver the ball to or down the touchline
Linesman - Now known as Assistant Referees. If they are certified assistant referees may help the referee call fouls, offside and out-of-bounds calls. If they are not certified they are known as "Club Linesmen" and are restricted to helping make out-of-bound calls. They carry a flag to signal their observations. Also Linesperson - Person (often a parent volunteer) who assists the referee; one linesperson is assigned to each touchline. Their primary responsibility is to indicate when the ball is out of play (i.e. when the whole of the ball crosses the whole of the touchline or endline). The linesperson also signals which team has the right to put the ball in play again by using their flag to show the direction of play for the restart.
Lock in - double team opportunity, normally along the touchline
Lock on - pick up and stay with an opponent, tightly
Long Corner - A corner kick where the attacking team attempts to kick the ball all the way into the goal box.
L.O.T.G. - abbreviation for The Laws of the Game - FIFA's rules.

M

Man on - opponent approaching fast
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. Guarding or covering an opposing player (with or without the ball) when he/she moves into your area of play.
Mark or Mark Up - cover an opponent
Match - a soccer game.
Measure - What you do to your opponent in a man-to-man system. You "measure" him. Does he always go to his right to shoot? Does he have a favorite move that
he uses all the time? Does he try to always tackle or just delay on defense? Does he have a favorite receiver or passer? Generally this is done in the first portion of a match. Then a smart player will use that information to gain an advantage during the remainder of the match. For example, if you know that you opponent has a weak left foot you can cheat to his right to tackle away the ball.
Megged - short for nutmegged.
Mid - short for midfielder - as in "He's playing center mid."
Midfield - the region of the field near the midfield line; the area controlled by the midfielders.
Midfielders - the 2, 3 or 4 players who link together the offensive and defensive functions of a team; they play behind their forwards. Player who functions primarily in the center (neutral) third of the field and whose principal job is to link the defense and the attack through ball control and passing.
M.L.S. - Major League Soccer — the major U.S. outdoor soccer league
Mine - signifies "My ball" - yelled when going for a loose ball - can be considered unsporting behavior by the referee, especially if used to trick an opponent into not playing a ball.
Move - don't get caught flat footed and keep moving or also a move is a way of maneuvering around an opponent - "to put a move on him."

N

N.A.S.L. - 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.
NASL - North Alabama Soccer League
National team - a team consisting of the best players in a country chosen to represent it in international competitions such as the World Cup.
Near Post - goal post nearest to the ball - this same post can become the far post as the ball moves to the other side of the field.
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.
Nil - an English term meaning zero as in the score of the match is one - nil. Used in the United States until mid twentieth century. Heard often from the British announcers when watching soccer Fox Sports World.
"Numbers Down" - Have fewer defenders than the other team has attackers in a third of the field or conversely having fewer attackers than the other team has defenders in a third of the field. You never want to be "numbers down".
"Numbers Up" - Have more defenders than the other team has attackers in a third of the field or conversely having more attackers than the other team has defenders in a third of the field. You always want to be "numbers up".
Nutmeg - to pass or dribble the ball through the legs of a defender. Also "meg" for short.

O

Obstruction - when a defensive player, instead of going after the ball, uses his body to prevent an offensive player from playing it.
ODP - Olympic Development Program (or Player)
Offense - the function of trying to score goals.
Offensive team - see Attacking team.
Official game clock - the clock that the referee carries with him on the field so he can signal when each half is over; does not stop during the game, even when play does.
Officials - the referee and 2 linesmen 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 - a violation called when a player in an offside position receives a pass from a teammate; an indirect free kick is awarded to the non-offending team. Offside is defined as occurring at the moment the ball is played by one of the attacking players to a teammate. A player is in an offside position if he/she is nearer to the opponents’ goal line than the ball, unless: (a) the player is in his/her own half of the field, or (b) there are at least two opponents (one may be the goalkeeper) nearer the goal line than the player.
A player is penalized if he/she is in an offside position AND if, in the judgment of the referee, the player is: (a) interfering with play or with an opponent, or (b) seeking to gain an advantage by being in that position.
A player is not declared offside (a) merely by being in an offside position; (b) if they receive the ball directly from a goal kick, a corner kick, a throw in, or a drop ball; or (c) if the ball is last played by an opposing player.
Offside position - an attacking player positioned so that fewer than 2 opposing defensive players (usually the goalie and 1 other defender) are between him and the goal he is attacking; a player is not offside if he is exactly even with one or both of these defensive players. Being in an offside position is not the same as offsides and is not illegal unless he participates in the play or gains an advantage in being offsides.
Offside Trap - A play by the defense to catch the attacking team offsides. It is often used on restarts (short corner kicks, deep indirect free kicks and deep throw-ins). The sweeper usually calls out "Trap" as a signal for the fullbacks to pull up past the attackers as soon as the ball is put into play by an attacker.
OGSO - Obvious Goal Scoring Opportunity
On-side - the opposite of offside.
Open - describes an attacking player who does not have anyone marking him.
Osgood-Schlatters - A painful knee condition that many soccer players going through the growth spurts of puberty get.
Out of bounds - when a ball is wholly outside the boundaries of the field, having completely crossed a sideline or goal line. The term "out of bounds" is an American football term and not a soccer term. The correct terms are when the ball is "out of
play" or "out of touch".
Out of play - when a ball is wholly outside the boundaries of the field or play has been stopped by the referee.
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 wing 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.
Overtime - the extra periods played after a regulation game ends tied; used in collegiate and championship international matches to determine a winner.
Out - defenders are to move towards the ball, away from the goalline
Outswinging - A kick that curves away from the goal mouth. The idea is to curve the corner kick away from the arms of the goalkeeper to an attacker with a clear shot or head at goal.
Own Goal - to accidentally put the ball in your own goal which counts as a goal for your opponents.

P

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.
Passive offsides - being in an offsides position but not being involved in or interfering with or gaining an advantage in the play.