Soccer Terms

Indirect Kick

A free kick that must be touched by one other person (from either team) before it can result in a goal. This kick cannot enter the goal straight off the shot and be called a goal. In indirect kick situations, you will see the 'tap' phenomenon: one player will tap the ball a few inches to a fellow player, who will then take a direct shot on goal.

Free Kick

A kick given to the team that has suffered a foul at the spot of the infraction. The kicker is given a ten-yard buffer between the spot of the kick and the first opposing player. A free-kick is usually direct, meaning the kicker can score without the ball having to touch another player before it enters the goal. An indirect free-kick is used for minor fouls in or near the penalty area that require the ball to touch another player before crossing the goal-line.

Penalty Kick

A kick taken from 12 yards in front of the goal, usually as a result of a foul that takes place inside the penalty area. When a penalty kick is taken, no player other than the shooter and opposing goalkeeper can enter the penalty area until after the shot is taken. Further, the goalkeeper cannot advance from the goal line until after the shot is taken although the goalkeeper is allowed to move from side-to-side.

Cross

A pass from near the touchlines that is directed towards the area in front of the goal. A cross is usually intended to be headed or volleyed with the foot into the goal by a teammate.

Red Card

A referee shows a player a red card to signal that the player has been banned from the rest of the match. A red card can be shown for a single serious offense or as the result of being shown a second yellow card in the same game. After a player is shown a red card, the player must leave the field of play and cannot be replaced by a substitute, meaning that his or her team must finish the match with one player fewer.

Foul

A stop in play when the referee judges a violation against an opposing player. The team that suffers the foul is awarded with a free-kick unless the foul is committed by a defensive player inside his own penalty area, in which case the foul results in a penalty kick.

Striker

A term that can be used interchangeably with forward, though it sometimes refers specifically to a forward that is his team's primary scoring threat.

Offsides

A violation that occurs when an offensive player is closer to the opponent's goal than both the ball and the second-to-last opposing player at the time that the ball is passed to the offensive player by his or her teammate. Players cannot be called offside if they are in their own half of the field or if they receive the ball from a throw in, corner kick, or goal kick. When a player is called offside, the opposing team is awarded a free kick.

Throw In

A way to restart play when the ball goes out over the sidelines. The team that did not last touch the ball last is allowed an overhead throw with a run-up from the sideline.

Direct Kick

After a foul, a team is awarded a free kick, in most cases, a direct free kick. A direct kick can result in a goal; a player can use the kick to take a shot directly on the goal and score. See: free kick.

Corner Kick

Awarded when the defending team puts the ball over the end line, a corner kick is taken by the offensive team from next to the corner flag. Just as is the case with a free kick, the ball is kicked from a stopped position and defenders must be at least 10-yards away.

Yellow Card

See Caution.

End Line

The lines extending from the goal line to the corners of the field; If the defending team puts the ball over the end-line, the attacking team is awarded a corner-kick. If the attacking team puts the ball over the end-line, the defending team is awarded a goal-kick.

Sideline

The sides of the field designated by the touchline.

Formation

the way a soccer team lines up its defense, midfield, and forward line at the beginning of the match.