What are they actually saying?

The words that will stop confusing you once you know them.

What Americans say	What it's actually called
"Goalie"	Keeper / Goalkeeper "Goalie" is used but considered casual. "Keeper" is the standard shorthand on broadcasts.

What Americans say

What it's actually called

"Goalie"

Keeper / Goalkeeper

"Goalie" is used but considered casual. "Keeper" is the standard shorthand on broadcasts.

"Goalie"

→ Keeper / Goalkeeper

"Goalie" is used but considered casual. "Keeper" is the standard shorthand on broadcasts.

What Americans say	What it's actually called
"Hat trick"	Hat trick Same term in both languages! Three goals by one player in one match. The player traditionally gets to keep the match ball.
"Heading the ball"	Header Hitting the ball deliberately with your forehead. Completely legal, and a common way to score from corner kicks.

What Americans say

What it's actually called

"Hat trick"

Hat trick

Same term in both languages! Three goals by one player in one match. The player traditionally gets to keep the match ball.

"Heading the ball"

Header

Hitting the ball deliberately with your forehead. Completely legal, and a common way to score from corner kicks.

"Hat trick"

→ Hat trick

Same term in both languages! Three goals by one player in one match. The player traditionally gets to keep the match ball.

"Heading the ball"

→ Header

Hitting the ball deliberately with your forehead. Completely legal, and a common way to score from corner kicks.

What Americans say	What it's actually called
"Injury time"	Stoppage time The minutes added at the end of each half. Called injury time informally, but stoppage time is the official term.

What Americans say

What it's actually called

"Injury time"

Stoppage time

The minutes added at the end of each half. Called injury time informally, but stoppage time is the official term.

"Injury time"

→ Stoppage time

The minutes added at the end of each half. Called injury time informally, but stoppage time is the official term.

What Americans say	What it's actually called
"Offsides" (with an S)	Offside No S. "He was caught offside." Saying "offsides" will get you corrected immediately by any soccer fan.
"Overtime"	Extra time (or penalty shootout) Extra time = 30 extra minutes in knockout rounds only, when tied after 90. If still tied, it goes to a penalty shootout. Not the same as stoppage time.

What Americans say

What it's actually called

"Offsides" (with an S)

Offside

No S. "He was caught offside." Saying "offsides" will get you corrected immediately by any soccer fan.

"Overtime"

Extra time (or penalty shootout)

Extra time = 30 extra minutes in knockout rounds only, when tied after 90. If still tied, it goes to a penalty shootout. Not the same as stoppage time.

"Offsides" (with an S)

→ Offside

No S. "He was caught offside." Saying "offsides" will get you corrected immediately by any soccer fan.

"Overtime"

→ Extra time (or penalty shootout)

Extra time = 30 extra minutes in knockout rounds only, when tied after 90. If still tied, it goes to a penalty shootout. Not the same as stoppage time.

What Americans say	What it's actually called
Scoring on your own team	Own goal (OG) Counts for the other team. Abbreviated OG on scoreboards. One of the most painful things that can happen.
"Shutout"	Clean sheet A goalkeeper (or team) that allowed zero goals in a match kept a clean sheet.
"Soccer"	Football Everywhere except the US, Canada, Australia, and a few others. Not worth arguing about.

What Americans say

What it's actually called

Scoring on your own team

Own goal (OG)

Counts for the other team. Abbreviated OG on scoreboards. One of the most painful things that can happen.

"Shutout"

Clean sheet

A goalkeeper (or team) that allowed zero goals in a match kept a clean sheet.

"Soccer"

Football

Everywhere except the US, Canada, Australia, and a few others. Not worth arguing about.

Scoring on your own team

→ Own goal (OG)

Counts for the other team. Abbreviated OG on scoreboards. One of the most painful things that can happen.

"Shutout"

→ Clean sheet

A goalkeeper (or team) that allowed zero goals in a match kept a clean sheet.

"Soccer"

→ Football

Everywhere except the US, Canada, Australia, and a few others. Not worth arguing about.

What Americans say	What it's actually called
"The field"	The pitch You play on a pitch, not a field. The dimensions matter — a larger pitch favors a different style of play.
"Tie"	Draw As in: "The match ended in a 1–1 draw." Ties are common and allowed in the group stage.
Two-game total score	Aggregate Used in club tournaments with home-and-away legs. "They won 3–2 on aggregate." Not used in the World Cup group stage.

What Americans say

What it's actually called

"The field"

The pitch

You play on a pitch, not a field. The dimensions matter — a larger pitch favors a different style of play.

"Tie"

Draw

As in: "The match ended in a 1–1 draw." Ties are common and allowed in the group stage.

Two-game total score

Aggregate

Used in club tournaments with home-and-away legs. "They won 3–2 on aggregate." Not used in the World Cup group stage.

"The field"

→ The pitch

You play on a pitch, not a field. The dimensions matter — a larger pitch favors a different style of play.

"Tie"

→ Draw

As in: "The match ended in a 1–1 draw." Ties are common and allowed in the group stage.

Two-game total score

→ Aggregate

Used in club tournaments with home-and-away legs. "They won 3–2 on aggregate." Not used in the World Cup group stage.

What Americans say	What it's actually called
"Uniform"	Kit Includes the jersey, shorts, and socks together. Teams have a home kit and an away kit.

What Americans say

What it's actually called

"Uniform"

Kit

Includes the jersey, shorts, and socks together. Teams have a home kit and an away kit.

"Uniform"

→ Kit

Includes the jersey, shorts, and socks together. Teams have a home kit and an away kit.

What Americans say	What it's actually called
"Yellow flag" moment	Foul / booking / card There are no flags for fouls in soccer. A foul results in a free kick. A serious or repeated foul gets you a yellow card (a booking). Two yellows or one major foul is a red card.

What Americans say

What it's actually called

"Yellow flag" moment

Foul / booking / card

There are no flags for fouls in soccer. A foul results in a free kick. A serious or repeated foul gets you a yellow card (a booking). Two yellows or one major foul is a red card.

"Yellow flag" moment

→ Foul / booking / card

There are no flags for fouls in soccer. A foul results in a free kick. A serious or repeated foul gets you a yellow card (a booking). Two yellows or one major foul is a red card.

What Americans say	What it's actually called
"Zero" or "nothing"	Nil "One-nil" = 1–0. "Nil-nil" = 0–0. You'll hear it on every broadcast.

What Americans say

What it's actually called

"Zero" or "nothing"

Nil

"One-nil" = 1–0. "Nil-nil" = 0–0. You'll hear it on every broadcast.

"Zero" or "nothing"

→ Nil

"One-nil" = 1–0. "Nil-nil" = 0–0. You'll hear it on every broadcast.

Keep reading

What is offside (not offsides)?

The most searched soccer question, explained.

Stoppage time vs. extra time

Two different things Americans confuse all the time.

How does soccer work?

The complete beginner guide.