My 10 Favourite Foreign Language Football Phrases

By: Daryl | November 10th, 2009
   

global soccerOne of my favourite things about The Offside and WorldCupBlog is that we’re a bit international. As a result, I’ve been exposed to a lot of non-English language football words and phrases that I otherwise may not have discovered.

There are far too many to list them all, obviously, so below I’ve put together a quick list of my ten favourite. And yes, I know that some of the ten are technically single words and not phrases. I just cheated a little for the sake of an alliterative headline.

Of course, The Offside is all about sharing. So please pitch in and use the comments to share your favourite foreign (ie non-English langauge) football words and phrases from around the globe.

Also, I once again have to hold up my hands and admit to being uni-lingual. So if any of the below are incorrect, please feel free to point that out.


Der grösste Stinkstiefel
German phrase for the most unpopular player in the Bundesliga in an annual poll conducted by Bild. Mark van Bommel was the 2008 winner. It translates into English as “the biggest stinky boots”, which is a great phrase in its own right. But even better in German.

Gardien de but
French for goalkeeper. Or “guardian of the goal”, which is an infinitely better description of the job. The phrase gives me a much stronger mental image of the gloved figure standing watch over the goal. “Thou shalt not pass!” and that kind of thing. Unless it’s Hugo Lloris and Steve Mandanda this past weekend of course.

Weltmeisterschaft
German for World Cup. I love it because it’s different. Every language has a name for World Cup, but the German phrase is arguably the most direct. I know that Weltmeister doesn’t literally mean “world master” (it means “world champions”) but if you speak English as a first language then that’s what it sounds like, thereby making the World Cup sound somehow even more important than it already is.

Calcio
It’s Italian for football. Except not exactly. While most other languages have adopted some variation of “football” (fussball, futbol, voetball etcetera) the Italian word literally means “kick”. Just so everyone’s clear on what they’re supposed to do. It also means you can say the word with a lot more force than you can other football words. Try it at home.

Copa Libertadores
Despite what I said in the Weltmesiterschaft paragraph above, I love the word Copa. I love that Spanish grammar puts Copa at the front of the phrase. I love Copa Libertadores above all other Copa names. Mostly because it’s not as dull and generic sounding as the “Champions League” that every other confederation uses for its contintental club competition, but also because it translates into something inspirational sounding: Cup of the Liberators.

Fantasista
Italian for playmaker. But more so. It’s not really a position. Trequartista (three quarters) is the name for the “in the hole” player. Fantasista is more a player who does the unexpected, a fantasy player. To quote Chris: “I like fantasista because it almost leads one to believe there are some mythical qualities”. Exactly. Also, it seems that only the very very best playmakers can carry this name. Anyone can play trequarista. Not anyone can be a fantasista.

Catenaccio
Italian for “door-bolt”. Which is apt because it describes a tactical system design to lock out opposition attackers with a highly organized defence. The term is often used to describe any defensive tactic, but in its original form catenaccio basically involved a sweeper/libero playing behind a defence that man-marked opposition attackers. Understandably, that was pretty tough to break down. Catenaccio is/was not always pretty to watch, but it sounds nice when you say it, and describes the idea perfectly.

Allsvenskan
Sweden’s top division, which literally translates as “The All Swedish”. In a world with too many Premier Leagues (English, Scottish, Russian, Ukrainian etc) this is a name to cherish. Maybe just as good, the Swedish second division is the Superettan, or “The Super One”.

Petit Pont
French phrase for what others call a nutmeg or panna. Basically slipping the ball between an opponents legs. The phrase literally means “Little Bridge”, which is capitalized because it refers to an actual little bridge that has straddled the River Seine since 1853. (Yes, I did find that on Wikipedia.) I’m willing to speculate that when the ball goes through the players legs, it looks a bit like when a boat passes under the actual Petit Pont.

Seleção
I know, I know. This nickname for Brazil’s national team is now so widely used that it’s borderline cliché. But there’s a reason it’s widely used, and that reason is that it’s a fantastic – and very fitting – word. This may be yet more cliché, but seems to me that Brazil has a ridiculous number of players to choose from. Which other national team has to choose between the likes of Kaka, Diego and Ronaldinho at playmaker? Being selected for Brazil is a big ask, which gives Seleção extra wordy weight, for me anyway.


If this has inspired you to further investigate foreign language football phrases, then you could do a lot worse than visiting this post. If you have a great phrase or word you want to share, please share away in the comments.


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  • MattyDub
    Thanks for the feedback guys. Yes it refers to shot that goes right into the corner... I believe I heard it in a Latin-American dialect of Spanish
  • kabir
    calcio also means calcium in italian. the only reason i brought that up is because it reminds me of a commercial in italy with ibrahimovic where they made a pun with calcio. i would translate it, but it wouldnt be as funny in english...the link is here
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
    the subtitles are a little bit dubious, but you should get the gist of it
  • kabir
    I love it when the Italian commentators say "attenzione". They say it so abruptly when something interesting is happening
  • marko
    I love the sound of the Italian word for offside: fuorigioco
  • MattyDub, it is Spanish, it actually literally means "Where the spiders have their webs (or nests if you're going really literal)" I think it refers to when a ball is struck into the top corner of a goal, though I could be wrong
  • lgarzone
    in italian certain commentators will yell "si gonfia la rete!!" which translates into something along the lines of "the net/goal is filled!" it sounds very exciting when yelled
  • Diane
    Spanish, MattyDub, and I think it refers to where a good poacher lurks -- was that your impression?
  • KMS
    i live in jerusalem and the commentators always shout something that sounds like "eze (like eh-zay) shah / eze goal". its fun to hear, and it basically means "what a goal". ive heard "eze idiot" which was quite entertaining (what an idiot)
    mattydub, that looks like spanish to me
  • In Spanish the chip shot is also called "La cucharra" (spoon), but also has been called "arco iris" (rainbow).

    And "Libero" is normally the Beckenbauer/cerebral central defender that sets up the attack, not exactly the same role as a destroyer/sweeper.

    Great post Daryl! I loved the German. Guten morgan?
  • Al
    Except Calcio has a horrid, nationalistic, history to its use. Was football in Italian before it was fed to people that it was an Italian game and could not be named an English word. To fascists everywhere- this is a better Italian word- Vaffanculo!
    Va Livorno, Sankt Pauli, HAPOEL Tel Aviv... Antifa per sempre.
  • MattyDub
    Donde las aranas tienen sus nidos

    Where the spiders make their webs (football term.)

    I can't remember the language, which is awful of me
  • Oli
    I just got the strangest look from someone who walked past me as I yelled 'Calcio' in a violent and aggresive manner.
  • Everyone knows how Hispanic comentators yell "gooooooooooooool" for about 30 seconds, however most people don't know an important variation: "golazo". It basically means beautiful goal, I just love the intonation the commentators put in it, the creshendo along the "gol" bit and then roll around the "azo". If it's a really great goal sometimes they even go for a "goalazo-lazo-lazo!" It's wonderful how passionate the foreign commentators get, you can hear that they really are incredibly please the team has scored a lovely goal.
  • vespo
    My favorite (which I heard a lot this summer watching CONCACAF gold cup on univision):

    "Y la pelota nooooo ruedaaaaa maaas!"

    Literally, it means "and the ball will roll no more!" It gets used at both the end of the half and the end of the game, but hearing the Mexican commentators practically scream it at the end of the U.S. - Mexico final was pretty great. (Other than the fact that the U.S. lost)
  • Adam
    Good stuff.
  • Diane
    I first heard this English, but it still took me awhile to realize that when players mention that they, or someone else, is "enjoying" their football, it means that they're playing well -- not just having fun. I love it.

    Prime usage: after Barcelona's demolition of Real Madrid at the Bernabeu last season, when Raul graciously complimented Barca's form and said that "they've been enjoying playing together all season."
  • I always liked how a chip shot in Italy is called "il cucchiaio" (the spoon) because of the way you scoop the ball over the goalkeeper.
  • pat
    simulatore a diver in italian, i think its a good word
    also interesting tidbit catenaccio was invented by the swiss...but like most things perfected in italy
  • wob
    I like the German football language.
    Some sweet German football phrases:
    fallrückzieher - overhead kick
    Torjäger - topscorer ( I like it because it literally means goal hunter)
    Anschlusstor - [don't know if there's an english word for it. it's the goal that leaves a side only one down e.g. the 2-1 when you are 2-0 down. literally: connection goal]
    Elfmeter (penalty, eleven metres0
  • I always liked the French "sélectionneur" for a National Team coach. (As opposed to "entraîneur" for a club manager.) The national team doesn't really coach or train, his main job is to select.
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