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Soccer Terminology | D - E - F

D

Dangerous play

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.

Defenders

The players on the team that does not have possession of the ball.

Defending team

The team that does not have possession of the ball.

Defense

A team's function of preventing the opposition from scoring.

Defensemen

The 3 or 4 players on a team whose primary task is to stop the opposition from scoring; also called fullbacks.

Defensive midfielder

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.

Defensive pressure

When one or more defenders closely mark a ball carrier to harass him into losing the ball.

Deflection

The ricochet of a ball after it hits a player.

Direct free kick

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.

Diving header

A ball struck near ground level by the head of a diving player.

Draw

A game that ends with a tied score.

The Draw

The selection of World Cup teams to place them into playing groups for the tournament and the event surrounding this selection.

Dribbler

A player who advances the ball while controlling it with his feet.

Dribbling

The basic skill of advancing the ball with the feet while controlling it.

Drop ball

A method of restarting a game where the referee drops the ball between 2 players facing each other.

Drop kick

When a goalie drops the ball from his hands and kicks it just after it hits the ground.

E

English Football Association

An association of English soccer teams founded in 1863 to set soccer rules.

European Cup

The championship tournament played between Europe's top national teams.

F

F.A.

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.

Fake or feint

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.

Far post

The goalpost furthest from the ball.

Field

The rectangular area where soccer matches are played.

FIFA

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.

FIFA World Cup

A solid gold statue given to the champion of each World Cup tournament to keep for the next 4 years.

Flick header

A player's use of his head to deflect the ball.

Foot trap

A player's use of his foot to control a rolling or low-bouncing ball.

Football

Name for soccer everywhere except in the U.S.; also, what American's call their popular team sport which evolved from soccer and rugby.

Formation

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.

Forward line

The 3 or 4 forwards who work together to try and score goals; consists of two wingers and 1 or 2 strikers.

Forward pass

A pass made towards the opposition's goal.

Forwards

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.

Foul

A violation of the rules for which an official assesses a free kick.

4-2-4

A formation that consists of 4 defenders, 2 midfielders and 4 forwards.

4-3-3

A formation that consists of 4 defenders, 3 midfielders and 3 forwards; the most common formation used by teams.

4-4-2

A formation that consists of 4 defenders, 4 midfielders and 2 forwards.

Free kick

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.

Front header

The striking of a ball in the air by a player's forehead; the most common type of header.

Front tackle

An attempt by a defender to kick the ball away from an attacker by approaching him from a head-on position.

Fullbacks

See Defensemen.