Fútbol Vocabulary

Pablo Ramirez
Pablo Ramirez

FÚTBOL: A Guide to Soccer Vocabulary in Spanish

By: COLIN REESE

El fútbol = soccer

La pelota = ball

El balón = ball

El jugador = player

El futbolista = soccer player

Gol = goal

Golazo = a really good goal, a great goal, etc

Partido = game

Partidazo = a big or important game

El equipo = the team

El técnico = the coach

Un clavadista = a diver

Categoría = class (skill)

Calzados / Botas de fútbol (botas) / botines /tacos, etc = soccer shoes (with cleats)

Tacos = cleats (the actual cleats under the shoes ; tacos also means soccer shoes)

Taco = cleat ; backheel flick / kick

Canilleras / espinilleras = shinguards

Camiseta/Camisa = jersey (camisa is really a shirt with a collar)

Shorts / Short/ Pantalón corto = shorts

Calcetines / Medias largas = soccer socks

El terreno de juego/el terreno = the field of play, the field

La cancha = the field

El campo = the field

La portería = the goal (THE ACTUAL GOAL NOT A GOAL SCORED)

El arco = the goal (THE ACTUAL GOAL NOT A GOAL SCORED)

La red = the net

El poste = the post (the vertical posts or upright. NOT THE CROSSBAR)

Los postes = the vertical posts or uprights

El palo = the post (the vertical posts or uprights)

Los palos = the posts (the vertical posts or uprights)

El primer palo = the near post

El segundo palo = the far post

El travesaño = the crossbar

La área chica/ la área de meta = the six yard box, the goal box (this is where a goal kick is taken from)

La línea de banda = the sideline

La línea de puerta / la línea de meta = the goal line

La línea de fondo = the endline

El círculo central = the center circle

La media luna = the penalty arc; the semi-circle at the top of the penalty box

La esquina / el corner = the corner kick area

Saque de manos / saque de banda = throw-in

Tiro de esquina / saque de esquina / el corner = corner kick

Saque de meta / saque de puerta = goal kick

La primera parte / la primera mitad / el primer tiempo = the first half

La segunda parte / la segunda mitad / el segundo tiempo = the second half

El medio tiempo = halftime

Fuera de lugar = offside

Tiro = shot

Remate = shot

Disparo = shot

Pase = pass

Recepción = trap/control

Puntear = to toe poke

Cuchara = chip (Literally, spoon)

Cabezazo = header

con efecto = with curve or bend or swerve

De tres dedos = with the outside of the foot

Pegar de tres dedos = to hit with the outside of the foot

Tirar/disparar de tres dedos = to shoot with the outside of the foot

Pasar de tres dedos = to pass with the outside of the foot

Pelotazo = long ball or pass

Pelotazo largo = long ball or pass

Derechazo = a right footed blast

Zurdazo = a left footed blast

Rechazar = to reject, clear out

Rechazo = clearance, rejection

Acomodarse = to settle or trap or control. (For example, “Chicharito se acomoda…”)

Controlar = to control or trap (the ball)

Descontrolar = miscontrol / mistrap (the ball)

Matar = to control (Literally, “to kill”) (Matar con el pecho = to control/trap/settle/bring down with the chest)

De primera = first time (shot or pass)

Regate – dribbling trick / fake / maneuver

Gambeta – change of direction; dribbling trick / fake / maneuver

La bicicleta = stepover

El sombrero = chip a goalkeeper or opposing player

Recorte = cutback

Taco = back heel flick / kick

El autopase = self pass

El cambio de ritmo = change of pace

La rabona = La rabona

La elástica =  o elástico (flip flap)

El escorpión = the scorpion kick

Remate de escorpión = scorpion kick shot

La chilena = bicycle kick

La plantilla = roster

La alineación = line-up

El portero / arquero / guardameta = goalkeeper

Defensor = defender

lateral = outside back

lateral derecho = right back

central / defensor central / marcador central / zaguero = center back, central defender

lateral izquierdo = left back

Volante / centrocampista / mediocampista = midfielder

mediocentro defensivo = defensive midfielder

El mediapunta (Spain) / enganche (Latin America) = playmaker, central attacking midfielder, (sort of a trequartista except a trequartista is a central attacking midfielder playing behind two strikers). This is the position Zidane played. Mediapunta is masculine even though the word ends in an “A.”

El segundo delantero = second striker

El segunda punta = second striker. The term is masculine even though the adjective and the noun end in “A’s”

Delantero = forward / striker

Ariete = center forward

Punta de lanza = lone striker

El puntero = right or left forward (Sort of a winger, but not a true winger)

El extremo / Alero = true winger (Not an outside back, although outside backs play basically as wingers and defenders basically)

© COLIN REESE