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a clause in the rules that directs the referee to refrain from stopping play for a foul if a stoppage would benefit the team that committed the violation.
 
situations where a team has possession of the ball and outnumbers the opposition near the opposing goal.
 
a term used by non-Americans to distinguish the popular U.S. sport of football from soccer which they also call football.
 
American Professional Soccer League — the nation's only outdoor professional soccer league since 1991, consisting of 8 teams in the U.S. and Canada (expanding to 12 by 1995).
 
the pass or passes which immediately precede a goal; a maximum of two assists can be credited for one goal.
 
the most forward-playing midfielder, playing right behind the forwards; he supports the offense by providing passes to forwards to set up goals.
 
any player on the team that has possession of the ball.
 
the team that has possession of the ball.
 
American Youth Soccer Organization — an administrative body of youth soccer which sets rules and provides information and equipment to youth league referees, coaches and players.
 
 
a player's use of his head to direct the ball backwards.
 
an attempt by a defender to take the ball away from a ball carrier by swinging the defender's leg in front of the ball from behind.
 
a player that has possession of the ball.
 
a type of kick that gives the ball a curved trajectory; used to get the ball around an obstacle such as a goaltender or defender.
 
to get the ball through or around an opponent by dribbling or shooting.
 
the area between a defender and his goal.
 
when a player kicks the ball in mid-air backwards and over his own head, usually making contact above waist level; an acrobatic shot.
 
when a team quickly advances the ball down the field in an attempt to get its players near the opponent's goal before the defenders have a chance to retreat; also called an advantage.
 
when an attacker with the ball approaches the goal undefended; this exciting play pits a sole attacker against the goalkeeper in a one-on-one showdown.
 
The German professional soccer league.
 
a recognition earned by a player for each appearance in an international game for his country.
 
a foul called on a goalkeeper when he takes more than 4 steps while holding or bouncing the ball.
 
 
a pass from a player located near the sideline towards the middle of the field; used to get the ball closer to the front of the goal; also called a cross.
 
a circular marking with a 10-yard radius in the center of the field from which kickoffs are taken to start or restart the game.
 
 
a small circular mark inside the center circle that denotes the center of the field from which kickoffs are taken to start or restart the game.
 
a player who guards the area directly in front of his own goal in a zone defense; does not exist in a man-to-man defense.
 
to run into an opponent; legal if done from the front or side of the ball carrier; illegal against a player without the ball or from behind.
 
when a player uses his chest to slow down and control a ball in the air.
 
a pass lofted into the air from a player to a teammate; used primarily to evade a defender by kicking the ball over his head.
 
a kick lofted into the air to try to sail the ball over the goalkeeper's head and still make it under the crossbar into the goal.
 
to kick the ball away from one's goal.
 
the metal, plastic or rubber points in the bottom of a soccer shoe used to provide a player with traction; term also used to refer to the shoes themselves.
 
a team that plays in a league.
 
The Confederation Norte-Centroamericana y Del Caribe de Footbal — the regional organization of North American and Central American soccer under which World Cup qualifying matches are played; member countries include the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Central American and Caribbean countries.
 
a tournament game played between the losers of the 2 semifinal matches to determine the third-place team.
 
a quarter-circle with a radius of 1 yard located at each of the 4 corners of the field; on a corner kick, the ball must be kicked from inside this arc.
 
 
the flag located at each of the 4 corners of the field, inside the corner area.
 
a type of restart where the ball is kicked from the corner arc in an attempt to score; awarded to an attacking team when the ball crosses the goal line last touched by the defending team.
 
an attack launched by a defending team soon after it regains possession of the ball.
 
when a player from the attacking team moves without the ball to draw defenders away from the ball carrier and give him space.
 
a pass from an attacking player near the sideline to a teammate in the middle or opposite side of the field; used to give the teammate a good scoring opportunity.
 
the horizontal beam that forms the top of a goal and sits on top of the two posts; it is 24 feet long and supported 8 feet above the ground.
 
when the goalie comes out of the goal several feet to make himself closer and larger to an attacker, leaving the attacker less net to shoot at.
 
when a defensive player keeps his body between an attacker and the defender's goal, forcing the attacker out towards the sidelines.
 
when a player attempts a play that the referee considers dangerous to that player or others, such as trying to kick the ball out of the goalie's hands, even if no contact is made.
 
the players on the team that does not have possession of the ball.
 
the team that does not have possession of the ball.
 
a team's function of preventing the opposition from scoring.
 
the 3 or 4 players on a team whose primary task is to stop the opposition from scoring; also called fullbacks.
 
the player positioned just in front of his team's defense; he is often assigned to mark the opposition's best offensive player; also called the midfield anchor.
 
when one or more defenders closely mark a ball carrier to harass him into losing the ball.
 
the ricochet of a ball after it hits a player.
 
a kick awarded to a player for a serious foul committed by the opposition; the player kicks a stationary ball with no opposing players within 10 yards of him; a goal can be scored directly from this kick without the ball touching another player.
 
a ball struck near ground level by the head of a diving player.
 
a game that ends with a tied score.
 
the selection of World Cup teams to place them into playing groups for the tournament and the event surrounding this selection.
 
a player who advances the ball while controlling it with his feet.
 
the basic skill of advancing the ball with the feet while controlling it.
 
a method of restarting a game where the referee drops the ball between 2 players facing each other.
 
when a goalie drops the ball from his hands and kicks it just after it hits the ground.
 
see Goal line.
 
an association of English soccer teams founded in 1863 to set soccer rules.
 
the championship tournament played between Europe's top national teams.
 
Football Association; often used to refer to the English Football Association, who, along with FIFA and other football associations, helps maintain the rules of soccer.
 
a move by a player meant to deceive an opposing player; used by a ball carrier to make a defender think the ball carrier is going to dribble, pass or shoot in a certain direction when he is not.
 
the goalpost furthest from the ball.
 
the rectangular area where soccer matches are played.
 
Federation Internationale de Football Association — the official governing body of international soccer since 1904 which established the World Cup tournament; helps set and revise rules of the game, called the 17 Laws.
 
a solid gold statue given to the champion of each World Cup tournament to keep for the next 4 years.
 
a player's use of his head to deflect the ball.
 
a player's use of his foot to control a rolling or low-bouncing ball.
 
name for soccer everywhere except in the U.S.; also, what American's call their popular team sport which evolved from soccer and rugby.
 
the arrangement into positions of players on the field; for example, a 4-3-3 formation places 4 defenders, 3 midfielders and 3 forwards on the field.
 
the 3 or 4 forwards who work together to try and score goals; consists of two wingers and 1 or 2 strikers.
 
a pass made towards the opposition's goal.
 
the 3 or 4 players on a team who are responsible for most of a team's scoring; they play in front of the rest of their team where they can take most of its shots; strikers and wingers.
 
a violation of the rules for which an official assesses a free kick.
 
a formation that consists of 4 defenders, 2 midfielders and 4 forwards.
 
a formation that consists of 4 defenders, 3 midfielders and 3 forwards; the most common formation used by teams.
 
a formation that consists of 4 defenders, 4 midfielders and 2 forwards.
 
a kick awarded to a player for a foul committed by the opposition; the player kicks a stationary ball without any opposing players within 10 yards of him.
 
the striking of a ball in the air by a player's forehead; the most common type of header.
 
an attempt by a defender to kick the ball away from an attacker by approaching him from a head-on position.
 
 
a ball that crosses the goal line between the goalposts and below the crossbar for which a point is awarded; also, the 8-foot high, 24-foot wide structure consisting of two posts, a crossbar and a net into which all goals are scored.
 
the rectangular area 20 yards wide by 6 yards deep in front of each goal from which all goal kicks are taken; inside this area, it is illegal for opposing players to charge a goalie not holding the ball.
 
a type of restart where the ball is kicked from inside the goal area away from the goal; awarded to the defending team when a ball that crossed the goal line was last touched by a player on the attacking team.
 
the field boundary running along its width at each end; also called the end line; runs right across the front of the goal; the line which a ball must completely cross for a goal to be scored.