Football Glossary, Letter A
a la Meazza
To score a goal after use of excessive dribbling, named after an Italian player in the 1930s
a la Piola
To score a goal with a bicycle kick, from Italian player Silvio Piola who is credited for the “invention” of the bicycle kick
AC
An Italian abbreviation meaning “Associazione Calcio” or football association, a term used as a prefix for Italian football clubs(for example: AC Milan)
Actor
A player who simulates foul or injury in order to penalize the opposing team or waste time
Added time
The amount of time added at the end of each half of football to compensate for stoppages during a game; also called injury or stoppage time
Advantage
A situation where the team in possession of the ball outnumbers the defending team
Advantage rule
A clause in football which states that a referee should not stop play for a foul if it will benefit the offending team
AFC
Asian Football Confederation, the governing body of football in Asia; organizer of the AFC Champions League, the biggest club competition in Asia
African Cup of Nations
The highest football tournament in the African continent, played among national teams; also known as African Nations Cup
Against the run of play
A term used to describe a situation that happens against the dominant flow of the game; for example, if team A has been having possession and scoring chances throughout the game but it was team B that scored, then that situation is “against the run of play”
Aggregate score
The overall number of goals a team has scored; in tournaments where teams play each other twice (home and away), aggregate score is used to determine which team advances to the next phase
(Les) Aigles de Carthage
(the) Eagles of Carthage, nickname of the Tunisian national football team
Albiceleste
“White and blue”, the nickname of the Argentine national football team
All-seater stadium
A stadium which has individual seats, as opposed to stadiums which have benches
Anchorman
A midfield player positioned in front of the center-backs, whose primarily responsibility is to break up the opponent’s attacks; also known as defensive midfielder, holding midfielder, midfield anchor
Angling
A technique by goalkeepers where they make themselves closer to an attacker to narrow the angles that can be shot at
Apertura
The first half of the football season in Latin American leagues, translates in English as “opening”; some countries divide their football season into two, the second part being the clausura or “closing”
APSL
A defunct professional men’s soccer league which featured teams from the United States and Canada
Arc/arch
A curved line on top of the penalty box, a player fouled in this part of the football field will be awarded with a penalty kick; more appropriately called the “penalty arch”
Area chica
A Spanish slang for the six-yard box in front of the goal, known in English as the goal box
AS
Associazione sportive in Italian or association sportive in French, literally translates as sporting association; a common prefix for European football clubs (for example A.S. Roma, A.S. Cannes)
ASL
American soccer league, is the first professional soccer league in the United States; it operated from 1921 until 1933
Assist
A pass in a football game which leads directly to a goal
Assistant referee
Either of the two flag-bearing officials positioned along the sideline; formerly called soccer linesman
Association football
The official name of football/soccer
Astro turf
A playing field made of artificial grass
Attacker
(a) Player whose main responsibility is to score goals; (b) Any member of the team in offense
Attacking half
The half of the football field which contains the opposing team’s goal
Attacking midfielder
A midfielder in a more advanced position, whose task is to assist in scoring
Attacking team
The side which has possession of the ball
Attacking third
The third of the field where a team tries to score; in football strategies and tactics, the playing field is divided into three: the defensive third, the midfield, and the attacking third
Auto goal
A goal scored by a player in his own net, also know as “own goal” or “autogol”
Away
(a) A match played in the opponent’s stadium;
(b) A command given to a defender, telling him to kick the ball away from his goal
Away goal
A goal scored by a visiting team on the home team’s stadium
Away goals rule
A method of tie-breaking in soccer tournaments where teams play each other twice, once at each team’s home stadium. The away goals rule states that the team that has scored more goals away from home will win if scores are equal at the end of a stage
AYSO
American Youth Soccer Organization, a non-profit group in the United States which provides nationwide training and development to children between 4 to 19 years of age
Ay-yildizlilar
The nickname of the Turkish national football team