You’re dribbling down the field when you hear your teammates yelling at you “BACKDOOR, BACKDOOR”! What? What door? Back where? Every sport has its own language, even soccer! So, if you are new to the sport, you may often find yourself puzzled over what your teammates are yelling at you. But, fear no more! Below is your guide to speaking like a true soccer player.
Back Door – When there’s a teammate at the back post waiting for a tap in
Ball Watching – Watching the path and movement of the ball and forgetting to watch the player you’re marking
Counterattack – To attack quickly once your team has gained possession of the ball in your own
end
Cover – To support a teammate by putting pressure on the attacker with the ball
Cross Shot – An intentional cross that ends up being closer to a shot or potentially ends up as a goal
Cut Back – When you’ve dribbled to the end line and make a sudden change in direction
Drop – run backwards towards your own net while watching your player and the ball
Dummy – Instead of receiving a pass, a player allows the ball to roll through their legs to a teammate to deceive the defender
Follow – Keep your eye on the ball but first priority is to follow your player
Get Stuck In – A hard challenge/tackle
Good Talk – Praising your teammate for good communication
No Turn – Putting pressure on your opponent when their back is to you so they don’t have an option to turn and must play backwards
Nutmeg – Where an attacker kicks the ball in between the legs of the opponents to get around them
Pressure – To put pressure on the attacker or player with the ball
Recover Back – Drop behind your teammate who’s defending or sprint back to help your defensive line during a counter attack
Slow Tail – You have an opponent coming towards you slowly from behind
Suicide Ball – Making a pass to a teammate where they can’t see a tackle coming and end up getting slammed by opponent
Support – Be behind and to the side of your teammate. Close enough that if their mark were to beat them, you could step in and challenge. Also used as a pass option if you have possession and you are in a spot to support and help
Swing – When the ball has been stuck on one side of the field and you want to swing it around the back line to the other side. Can also be called SWITCH which is generally more a direct, long ball
1-2 – A give and go where you pass to a teammate and run and get the ball right back
1st To – Being the first player to get to the ball
