Soccer or football, has its own unique language, learn here unfamiliar terms and test your understanding of some well known but often mis understood phrases.

angles - most often used for goal keepers, "narrowing the angles"

angle of the pass - the direction of a pass in relation to defender, attacker

angle of run - the direction of the run from a supporting player

back four - often used to describe the defensive line, e.g. right and left back and two central defenders

ball - the spherical object that the game revolves around!

ball watching - describes a soccer player who is not aware of what's going on around them as they are more intent on focusing on the ball rather than players and situations building around them

blind side - playing the ball to the opposite side of where an opponent is focused

block tackle - strong frontal tackle

box - the penalty area / 18 yard box where strikers do the damage

breakaway - counter attack where rapid movement is made into forward space. Counter attacking soccer is a strategy employed by teams when playing away from home.

calling - communication between soccer players e.g. give him a call

channels - area approximately 15 yard from the touchline

chip - short lofted pass or shot that gets the ball in the air

closing down - players should advance to an opponent with the ball in an attempt to stall play or win back possession

commit - getting your opponent to commit to a course of action that your player can then do the opposite too

conditioned play - where an artificial restriction is placed upon players so that they are forced to perform a specific technique, skill or tactic

control (ball) - bringing the ball under control by cushioning its arrival at a player with a surface on the body

control (play) - possession and tempo are the key to having control of the soccer game. Oh yes, and a couple of goals!

corner - dead ball restart situation where a player touches the ball last and it travels over their own goal line.

cover - defensively where a second soccer player provides cover to another player. This follows the defensive soccer principles of first and second defender.

cross - a long pass often in the air that is played diagonally from the flanks or channels into the box

cross, inswinging - a cross which arcs from the center of the pitch to the goal area

cross, outswinger - a cross which arcs from the by line out to the center of the soccer pitch

cross, far post - long cross from a corner that misses out the penalty box and aims for the furthest post

cross, near post - shortish cross aimed at the nearest post

decoy run - where a soccer player executes a run to draw attention from the intended play. Also known as creating space.

defenders - players who should stop, hold up and minimize any attempts on goal

dribbling - the art of close control while moving with the soccer ball at the feet

dummy - similar to decoy, any trick, technique or skill that unbalances or confuses an opponent and can send them the wrong way in order to gain an advantage

early ball - simple phase of soccer play where an immediate pass is played to a team mate at the earliest opportunity, often to exploit space

fakeover - technique where a player looks as if they are to take the ball from their team mate who is in possession but they don't and just run past each other

feint - an action that attempts to confuse and trick an opponent e.g. step over, scissors, Beardsley, Ronaldhino, Ronaldo, Cryff all have feints named after them.

first touch - vital skill of any soccer player is to be able to get the ball under control and set up their next option, often known as their first touch

flank - the 10 - 15 yards from the side lines, often where crosses come in from

flight - referred to the flight of the soccer ball

free kick - dead ball restart situation when play has been stopped by the referee for an infringement of the laws of the game

give and go - were a player passes the ball and them moves to receive the ball back from the player they played it to also known as wall pass or 1 - 2

goal - something every team needs to focus on, whether its defending or scoring!

goal side - the area between ball and the goal when defending

half volley - when a player volleys (using their laces)an upward bouncing ball that has just landed in front of them

heading - using the head to direct the balls flight

high press - tactical deployment of the soccer team where all players apply immediate pressure to the opponents when possession is conceded, often in opponents half

hollywood ball - an ambitious pass that is only seen in the movies!

instep - upper surface of the foot, when coaching players it's the laces part of the boot!

inswinger - where the flight of the ball arcs towards the target

jockeying - delaying and holding up play, not diving in with a tackle but staying up right and preventing the advancement of the opponent

killer pass - a perfectly timed and weighted pass through a defense on to the foot of a team mate

late tackle - an unfair challenge, where a soccer player commits a tackle after an opponent has already played the ball

line (holding the) - defensive term where the defenders keep an imaginary line to catch opponents offside

line of recovery - when a player is beaten, this is the line on which they retreat back towards their own goal to get goal side of the attack

lofted pass - a high pass executed by kicking the bottom half of the ball sending it into the air

mark - to cover a player who may or may not have the ball, prevent a player from receiving the ball

man to man marking - a system that can be deployed where individuals are given specific tasks of marking individuals

narrowing the angle - closing down a player so that the angle they have to shoot or pass is reduced significantly

offside trap - when a defender(s) acting on a common understanding or trigger moves forward in a line to catch one or more opponents offside

off the ball - movement of players, to create space and provide options

one touch soccer - players move the ball quickly and immediately when they receive it

one two - see give and go

outswinger - when a ball is played but curls away from the target

pace - the speed of a player or ball

pass - technique to move the ball from one player to another. Various techniques apply, chip, half volley, push, lofted etc.

penetration - a phaseof play where a team breaks through the opponents defense 

peripheral vision - being able to see wider than just what's direct in front vision

pitch - the lovely green turf, where soccer should be played

play on the break - counter attacking soccer

play maker - a designated player who has good vision, excellent passing ability, can open up defense lines and create opportunities

plyometrics - drills and exercises that develop explosiveness in players

pressure training - a method of training that requires rapid repetition for a limited time

receiving - technique required to control an incoming ball

running with the ball - player in possession exploits space by carrying the ball quickly and efficiently, different to dribbling a player must beat an opponent

save - when the goal keeper or defender prevents a goal!

scouts - quite often volunteers that watch local junior and youth soccer for professional clubs to eye the talent and recommend them for academy trials 

service - used to describe whether or not the attackers / strikers as getting quality balls played into them e.g. "attackers are just not getting the service!"

shadow play - playing without opponents

shielding - keeping possession and control of the ball by using the body to come between the ball and the opponent

show - when a player makes themself available

sliding tackle - when a defending player goes to ground and uses an extended leg to win the ball

space - creating , exploiting and running into space

square ball - a ball that is played from one side of the pitch to another, laterally

stretching the play - making the pitch big, wide and deep

support play - team mates move into and create space and options for the player in possession

sweeper - specific role on the pitch where a player will sit just in front or behind the defense

switching play - changing the angle of attack

tackle - a challenge to win the ball off an opponent

taking a player on - when a player in possession runs at a defending player with the aim of going past them

target man - a striker / attacker (often big and shields the ball well) who should always be available for a pass from the midfield who can then hold up the play until reinforcements arrive

thirds - the pitch can be segmented roughly into a defensive, a midfield and attacking third all of which are approximately 35 yards (give or take a couple)

through pass - a pass which is played between two defenders for an attacker to run onto

travel team - serious youth / junior soccer where teams regularly play out of state games. US term

trials - term used to describe a process of evaluation on a players ability and suitability for a team e.g. "we are holding trials to bring in some new players."

turning an opponent - when running at an opponent, the use of feints and fakes to trick the opponent into turning or by pushing the ball past them and causing them to turn

volley - striking the ball before it lands, difficult skill to master but very powerful

wall - line of players that organise themselves to prevent a direct attack on goal from a dead ball situation

wall pass - see give and go

weight of the pass - key ingredient to a perfect pass, the pace or power of

wide players - often called wingers who play near the touch line

work rate - players and teams contribution to the game

wrong side - when and opponent is allowed to get between the defender and the goal

zonal marking / defense - a system where players have a specific area that they have to cover