Glossary of association football terms

Martijn Bosman

Glossary of Association Football Terms

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball. It is the most popular sport in the world, played by over 250 million players in over 200 countries. This glossary serves as a comprehensive guide to the terminology used in association football, covering positions, tactics, equipment, and rules.

Positions

• Goalkeeper: The player on each team designated to guard the goal area and prevent the opposing team from scoring. The goalkeeper is the only player allowed to handle the ball within the penalty area.
• Defender: Players who primarily focus on preventing the opposing team from scoring. They are positioned closer to their own goal than their midfielders. Common types of defenders include centre-back, full-back, and wing-back.
• Midfielder: Players who play primarily in the middle of the field. They are responsible for linking the team's defense and attack. Types of midfielders include central midfielder, defensive midfielder, and attacking midfielder.
• Forward: Players who are primarily focused on scoring goals. They are positioned nearest to the opposing team's goal. Variants include centre-forward, striker, and winger.

Tactics

• Formation: The arrangement of players on the pitch. Common formations include 4-4-2, 4-3-3, and 3-5-2.
• Offside: A rule that a player is in an offside position if they are nearer to the opponent's goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent, unless they are in their own half of the field of play.
• Set piece: A term for free kicks, corner kicks, and penalties, which are methods of restarting play in football.

Equipment

• Football (ball): The ball used in association football, which must be spherical with a circumference of between 68 and 70 cm.
• Kit: The standard equipment and attire worn by players. The two opposing teams must wear colors that distinguish them from each other and the officials.

Rules

• Penalty kick: A kick awarded to a team due to a foul committed by the opposing team within their penalty area.
• Yellow card and Red card: Disciplinary measures for misconduct or fouls. A yellow card is a caution, and a red card results in ejection from the game.

Competitions

• FIFA World Cup: The international competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of FIFA, held every four years.
• UEFA Champions League: An annual club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and contested by top-division European clubs.

Miscellaneous

• Derby: A match between two teams from the same city or region.
• Futsal: A variant of association football played on a smaller field and mainly indoors.
• VAR (Video Assistant Referee): A football assistant referee that reviews decisions made by the head referee with the use of video footage and a headset for communication.