A Goal by Any Other Name…

By: Daryl | March 2nd, 2009

In English it’s goal. In Spanish, gol. In French it’s but and in German, tor. There’s more than one word for putting the ball in the back of the net, but if you’re an Offside reader then you probably already knew that.

So Laurie and myself tried to come up with a few more than the four above. And came up with… nothing.

However, we did find this Wiktionary page which lists various translations of the “the act of placing the ball into the goal”. Here’s a selection:

Rather than pretending we knew these, we’ll just cut and paste the table straight from Wiktionary:

The m, f and n represent (I think) male, female and neutral.

What’s interesting in this list is how many cultures default to “gol”, despite the fact that the word for the post and nets thingy you put the ball in is something else altogether. For example, the “goal” (nets etc) in Russian is “voróta”, but when you score it’s still “gol”.

Also interesting: it’s “gol” in Brazil, but “golo” in Portugal. Which may or may not explain why Brazil has five more World Cups than Portugal.

One of the things I love about The Offside is that our audience is a) international, and b) knowledgeable.

So if you’re from a country not on this list (or even if you are) then please enlighten us with some knowledge about what goals are called where you come from.

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Category: World Football

Tags: branka, but, doelpunty, goal, gol, golo, mal, tor, translations, World Football

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• Al |  March 2nd, 2009 at 3:57 pm

  
  
  

  I’m a big fan of the term “golazo” which means something like “super goal” or “cracker”. I wonder if there are similar words in other languages (there should be).

  Posted from United States

  

• Jonny |  March 2nd, 2009 at 4:19 pm

  
  
  

  Adam’s right about the japanese for goal (go-ru esentially)

  what’s fascinating for me is that when a player shoots from outside the penalty box – but from a reasonable distance – in open play, it’s called a midoru shu-to (or middle shot)

  I have no idea why it’s called that, as I’ve never heard it described that way anywhere else.

  Posted from Canada

  

• Adam |  March 2nd, 2009 at 4:22 pm

  
  
  

  I think it may have to do with the fact Japanese seem to love saying shu-to. they use the word whenever possible for some reason.

  Posted from United States

  

• Anja |  March 2nd, 2009 at 4:22 pm

  
  
  

  In the US its..rare. Just kidding.

  Posted from United States

  

• Peter Katsiris |  March 2nd, 2009 at 4:29 pm

  
  
  

  In Greek we say “Γκoλ” which sounds exactly like goal.
  For a super-goal, or the “golaso” equivalent, we say “Γκoλapa!”, which is pronounced as “Golara!”

  Posted from Canada

  

• Weston |  March 2nd, 2009 at 4:34 pm

  
  
  

  i thought they said golazo when somebody scored a hattrick…

  Posted from United States

  

• Hana |  March 2nd, 2009 at 4:58 pm

  
  
  

  In Amharic (Ethiopian), it would technically be ግብ or “Geb”. I find that most people say “goal” anyway.

  Posted from United States

  

• Musab |  March 2nd, 2009 at 5:14 pm

  
  
  

  For fantastic goals Turks will yell “Gol da Gol!!!!!”

  Posted from United States

  

• victor |  March 2nd, 2009 at 5:29 pm

  
  
  

  Golazo is when someone scores a great goal. Like Mascara’s this weekend.

  Posted from United States

  

• Fredorrarci |  March 2nd, 2009 at 6:07 pm

  
  
  

  In Irish, it’s cúl (pronounced “cool”).

  To be super-picky, if I may: the n stands for neuter rather than neutral.

  Posted from Ireland

  

• Laurie |  March 2nd, 2009 at 8:55 pm

  
  
  

  Fredorrarci, this makes me smile. In French, “cul” means ass or arse, i.e. where one would find Sepp Blatter’s head.

  Posted from United States

  

• Mustafa |  March 2nd, 2009 at 9:06 pm

  
  
  

  In arabic, the word for goal is “هدف” (hadaf), but a lot of commentators are starting to yell out “goal” too

  Posted from United States

  

• Peter Katsiris |  March 2nd, 2009 at 9:25 pm

  
  
  

  Laurie — true that! And I think the use of goal is a sign of American Globalization. And if that is not believable enough for you, then it surely has to be the spread of the English language — which I say is completed via American globalization.

  Posted from Canada

  

• Mike |  March 2nd, 2009 at 11:04 pm

  
  
  

  No one says goal better than the Spanish announcers…..

  Posted from United States

  

• Drabik |  March 3rd, 2009 at 12:33 am

  
  
  

  Better? I think it’s plain annoying….

  Yea, maybe if it’s an important goal, I’d accept golgolgolgolgol (etc), but whenever I watch a game with spanish commentators, every goal is celebrated like that … so I try the mute button!

  Posted from United States

  

• Drabik |  March 3rd, 2009 at 12:35 am

  
  
  

  Which reminds, does anyone remember the world cup (1998 possibly?) commentator from brazil(possibly?) a few years back that tried to break the world record for the longest goooooooooaaaaaaaaaaall ?

  Posted from United States

  

• Leon-Ben Lamprecht, Cape Town |  March 3rd, 2009 at 1:08 am

  
  
  

  In South Africa football/soccer is sometimes called diski. And a goal is “doel” in Afrikaans, or “laduma” (just say it: Laduuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuma!). Laduma is probably from fungalo, a mixture of languages from Xhosa and English and Afrikaans, used mostly in mines.

  Posted from United States

  

• Jose |  March 3rd, 2009 at 5:08 am

  
  
  

  “Yea, maybe if it’s an important goal, I’d accept golgolgolgolgol (etc), but whenever I watch a game with spanish commentators, every goal is celebrated like that … so I try the mute button!”

  I find that one annoying, but still, nobody does it better than Spanish announcers.

  I like it best when it’s “Gol. GOOOOOOOOOOOL! GOLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZO, GOLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZO!” It just mean ‘big goal’ and it’s saved for special occasions (one I recall: when Brazil scored the opener against Argentina in Copa America 2007 Final).

  Posted from United States

  

• alessio |  March 3rd, 2009 at 8:57 am

  
  
  

  Speaking of translation, one of the reasons I´ve always called footy ¨soccer¨in the US is because contrary to Spanish/English opinion, it´s not universal. I don´t know what it´s called in most languages, but in Italy it´s calcio. (literally kick)

  Posted from Spain

  

• Omar Ingi |  March 3rd, 2009 at 12:22 pm

  
  
  

  In Icleand we say “mark”

  Posted from Iceland

  

• Darius |  March 3rd, 2009 at 1:02 pm

  
  
  

  In Poland u can also say “bramka”

  Posted from United Kingdom

  

• Johonna |  March 4th, 2009 at 12:31 am

  
  
  

  I would say the use of the word “goal” around the world is far more likely be a result from the broadcast of EPL, South American and Spanish games than American globalization. Now, if the word was “touchdown” it would be an entirely different matter.

  This is fascinating, though.

  Posted from United States

  

• Andrzej |  March 4th, 2009 at 12:04 pm

  
  
  

  In Poland we also know the goal as “bramka”, “trafienie”, and if we take under consideration any kind of urban language it would be “buda”, “brama”. Thank you

  Posted from United States

  

• Mi |  March 6th, 2009 at 10:16 pm

  
  
  

  We’ve got our “bramka” (like Czechs’ branka) as well for the posts, bar and net. It’s also used as synonym to “gol” though. not that it’s important, but if “golo” may (or may not) explain why Brazil has 5 WC’s more, then maybe this is why we haven’t won anything?

  Posted from United Kingdom

  

• Mi |  March 6th, 2009 at 10:17 pm

  
  
  

  soory Andrzej, why didn’t I notice your comment before posting?! No idea really.

  Posted from United Kingdom

  

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