Subscribe: Weekly Football PhraseEach week the languagecaster team will explain a football phrase or cliche for learners of English who love the sport. Click on the link below to hear the word or phrase, while you can also read the transcript below that. You can also find many more examples by going to our football phrase page here football cliches here and our huge football glossary here.
This week’s English for football is the expression to call up which means to ask someone to represent their country. The phrase refers to when young people were asked to fight in the national army – they were called up to serve or they received a call-up. In football when the national side asks a player to represent the country, they earn a cap and this is also known as a call-up. This week England manager Fabio Capello has named three young Man United stars in his squad for the upcoming European Championship qualifiers – he has called them up. The players have received call-ups. To be called-up.
