Football Glossary

A-B | C-D | E-F | G-H | I-K | L-N | O-Q | R-S | T-V | W-Z

E

(to) End in tears: We use this expression to say that a team has started well, but ends up failing.

Example: The Champions League was going very well for Barcelona and Liverpool, but it ended in tears when these two teams were knocked out of the semi-finals.

End to end: A game is described as being end to end when both teams constantly attack each other.

Example: The Holland – Italy Euro 2008 game was an end to end affair with the Dutch eventually winning 3-0.

Extra Time: Time added on to a cup or knock-out match that has finished in a draw to try to find a winner (usually thirty minutes)

Example: England beat Germany 4-2 after extra time to win the World Cup in 1966.

F

(the) FA: The Football Association, the organisers of the Premier League and the England national team

Example: The FA came under a lot of criticism after appointing Steve MacClaren as England manager.

FA Cup: English knock-out competition for club sides. The oldest football tournament in the world.

Example: Portsmouth beat Cardiff City in the 2008 FA Cup final at Wembley.

(to) Fall through (a transfer): When a transfer or deal does not go ahead despite looking like it would do for a long time

Example: Gareth Barry’s transfer to Liverpool fell through after Liverpool failed to meet Aston Villa’s valuation of the player.

Fans: Supporters of a team

Example: Derby County’s fans were amazing last year even though they only won one game at home all season they never criticised their team.

Fergie: Nickname of Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson

Example: ‘Fergie: Ronaldo may stay longer’ (sport.aol.co.uk/football)

FIFA: The organising committee of world football, e.g. the World Cup is run by FIFA

Example: FIFA‘s president is Sepp Blatter

Flyer (to get off to a): When a team has started a match or the season very well indeed at a very early stage

Example: Last year in the Premier League Manchester City were unbeaten after the first 8 games – they got off to a flyer (Football Phrase 2007-8, #2).

Football is a funny old game: This is a cliché that means football is unpredictable: that we just don’t know what is going to happen, or that anything could happen in football

Example: To see a weakened Turkish side reach the Euro 2008 semi-final proved that football is indeed a funny old game (EFF: podcast 6).

(a/to) Foul: When an opponent stops a player by illegal means (e.g. a push or trip)

Example: Cristian Ronaldo suffers many fouls throughout the season as defenders try to stop him by any way possible.

Fox in the box: a deadly striker, a player who scores most goals in the box, not particularly skillful but scores a lot of goals

Example: (Headline) Rasmussen: I’m a fox in the box. Morten Rasmussen has told Celtic fans the Parkhead club have signed an old-fashioned penalty box striker.

Full back: A member of the defence (back four) that covers the flanks or sides

Example: Liverpool have yet to agree a new deal with Fabio Aurelio, the Brazilian full-back.