Soccer Glossary of Terms
There are 197 entries in this glossary.| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| 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. |
| 4-4-2: |
a formation that consists of 4 defenders, 4 midfielders and 2 forwards. |
| 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 World Cup: |
a solid gold statue given to the champion of each World Cup tournament to keep for the next 4 years. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
