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