Football is the world's most popular sport. Millions of fans watch matches every week and support their favorite teams. If you enjoy football, learning some basic vocabulary can help you understand commentators, news articles, and conversations with other fans.
Players on the Pitch
Every player has a different role:
goalkeeper → arquero
defender → defensor
midfielder → mediocampista
striker → delantero
captain → capitán
substitute → suplente
Match Vocabulary
match / game → partido
kickoff → saque inicial
group stage → fase de grupos
quarter-finals → cuartos de final
semi-finals → semifinales
final → final
champion → campeón
trophy → trofeo
Important Actions
Players can:
score a goal → marcar un gol
miss a penalty → errar un penal
save a shot → atajar un remate
equalize → empatar el partido
receive a yellow card → recibir una tarjeta amarilla
be sent off → ser expulsado
corner kick → córner / saque de esquina
free kick → tiro libre
penalty kick → penal
goal kick → saque de arco
throw-in → saque lateral
kickoff → saque inicial
Match Officials
referee → árbitro
assistant referee → juez de línea / árbitro asistente
fourth official → cuarto árbitro
VAR (Video Assistant Referee) → VAR
headset / communication system → intercomunicador / sistema de comunicación
referee → árbitro
assistant referee → juez de línea / árbitro asistente
fourth official → cuarto árbitro
VAR (Video Assistant Referee) → VAR
headset / communication system → intercomunicador / sistema de comunicación
Examples
The referee showed a red card.
The assistant referee raised his flag for offside.
The fourth official announced five minutes of added time.
The VAR reviewed the penalty decision.
The referees communicated through their headsets during the match.
Fans and Teams
home team → equipo local
away team → equipo visitante
fans / supporters → hinchas
home fans → hinchas locales
away fans → hinchas visitantes
⚽ Match Results Expression
- win → ganar
- beat / defeat → derrotar / vencer
- lose → perder
- draw → empatar
- victory → triunfo / victoria
- defeat → derrota
France lost to Argentina on penalties.
England and the USA drew 0-0.
Spain defeated Croatia 3-1.
Argentina secured a famous victory against France.
Germany suffered a defeat in the final.
Useful Patterns
➡️ win + competition / match
Argentina won the World Cup.
Brazil won the match.
➡️ beat / defeat + opponent
Argentina beat Poland 2-0.
Brazil defeated Serbia 2-0.
➡️ lose to + opponent
Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia 2-1.
France lost to Argentina on penalties.
➡️ draw with + opponent
Argentina drew with Iceland 1-1.
England drew with the USA 0-0.
Remember!
✅ win + trophy / match Argentina won the World Cup.
✅ beat + team Argentina beat Croatia 3-0.
❌ Argentina won Croatia. (incorrect)
❌ Argentina beat the World Cup. (incorrect)
✅ win + trophy / match Argentina won the World Cup.
✅ beat + team Argentina beat Croatia 3-0.
❌ Argentina won Croatia. (incorrect)
❌ Argentina beat the World Cup. (incorrect)
⚽ How to Read Scores
| 1-0 | one nil / one zero |
| 2-0 | two nil / two zero |
| 2-1 | two one |
| 3-0 | three nil |
| 3-1 | three one |
| 4-1 | four one |
| 0-0 | nil nil / zero zero |
| 1-1 | one all |
| 2-2 | two all |
| 3-3 | three all |
| 4-3 | four three |
- Argentina won one nil.
- Brazil beat Serbia two nil.
- Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia two one.
- England and the USA drew nil nil.
- Argentina drew with the Netherlands two all.
- France lost four three to Argentina in 2018.
- 0 = nil is very common in British football commentary.
- Americans often say zero instead of nil.
- When both teams score the same number of goals, we can say one all, two all, etc.
Argentina and Iceland drew one all.
The Netherlands and Argentina finished two all after 90 minutes.
⚽Practice
Choose: 1-0 | 1-1 | 2-1 | 2-0 | 3-0 | 4-3
- Argentina drew with Iceland __________.
- Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia __________.
- Argentina beat Mexico __________.
- Argentina beat Belgium __________.
- Argentina beat Croatia __________.
- Argentina lost to France in 2018 __________.
beat – lost to – drew with – victory – defeat – won – eliminated
World Cup 2014- Argentina __________ Belgium 1-0 in the quarter-finals.
- Argentina reached the final but __________ Germany 1-0 after extra time.
- The final against Germany ended in __________ for Argentina.
- Argentina __________ Iceland 1-1 in the group stage.
- Argentina were __________ by France after losing 4-3 in the Round of 16.
- Argentina surprisingly __________ Saudi Arabia 2-1 in their opening match.
- Argentina __________ Mexico 2-0.
- Argentina __________ Croatia 3-0 in the semi-finals.
- Argentina finally __________ the World Cup after beating France on penalties.
- The victory against France became one of the greatest __________ in Argentine football history.
⚽Listening
Listen and complete the sentences with the missing words.
kick off – striker – goal – corner kick – bicycle kick – foul – yellow card – header
– handball – red card – substitution – penalty kick – extra time – goalkeeper – draw
First Half
Second Half
⚽ Listen Again – Complete with ONE Word
⚽ Complete using the verbs:
The blue team won the coin toss, so they got to __________ the game.
The midfielder passed the ball to the __________.
He dribbled through the defense and scored a beautiful __________.
The ball went out of bounds, so the blue team had a __________.
The player attempted a __________, but the ball hit the goal post.
Just before halftime, a green player committed a __________.
The referee showed the Green Team a __________.
Number 10 scored with an amazing __________.
At halftime, the score was 1-1, so the match was a __________.
The midfielder passed the ball to the __________.
He dribbled through the defense and scored a beautiful __________.
The ball went out of bounds, so the blue team had a __________.
The player attempted a __________, but the ball hit the goal post.
Just before halftime, a green player committed a __________.
The referee showed the Green Team a __________.
Number 10 scored with an amazing __________.
At halftime, the score was 1-1, so the match was a __________.
Second Half
First, the Green Team committed a __________.
Then number 6 made an illegal tackle and received a __________.
The injured player was replaced after the coach called for a __________.
Because the foul happened inside the penalty area, the blue team got a __________.
Regulation time ended and the game went into __________.
The __________ made two incredible saves in the final seconds.
Then number 6 made an illegal tackle and received a __________.
The injured player was replaced after the coach called for a __________.
Because the foul happened inside the penalty area, the blue team got a __________.
Regulation time ended and the game went into __________.
The __________ made two incredible saves in the final seconds.
⚽ Listen Again – Complete with ONE Word
The goalkeeper had no __________.
The ball hit the goal __________.
The stadium was going __________.
The player was ejected from the __________.
The goalkeeper saved the __________.
The final score was 2 __________ 1.
The ball hit the goal __________.
The stadium was going __________.
The player was ejected from the __________.
The goalkeeper saved the __________.
The final score was 2 __________ 1.
⚽ Complete using the verbs:
scored – passed – crossed – saved – committed – won – beat
The midfielder __________ the ball to the striker.
Number 10 __________ a goal with a header.
One player __________ a foul before halftime.
The goalkeeper __________ two shots in extra time.
The Blue Team __________ the match.
They __________ the Green Team 2-1.
Number 10 __________ a goal with a header.
One player __________ a foul before halftime.
The goalkeeper __________ two shots in extra time.
The Blue Team __________ the match.
They __________ the Green Team 2-1.