Learn Spanish Football Vocabulary
Here in Spain, everyone is football mad; from the guys to the girls; from the students to the retired. They are all joined together by this sport and are very passionate and loyal to their teams. One of the main questions asked by Spanish people (especially here in Andalusia) is “are you Barça or Madrid?” Which ever team you choose, you will have your lovers and your haters, even if you support other teams.
However, the moment the Spaniards truly come together as one in the football world is when Spain or a Spanish team play another country or a team from another country. Spain generally is one of the best football teams in the world, and the Spanish leagues have 2 of the best football teams in the world as well. So why wouldn’t they get excited about this sport?
Below we have some very necessary “football vocabulary” that will make you come across as a “pro” in Spanish! Why not test them out at the next football game?!
| away game | partido que se juega fuera de casa |
| away team | equipo visitante |
| beat | derrotar / vencer |
| bench | banquillo |
| centre circle | círculo central |
| championship | campeonato |
| changing rooms | vestuarios |
| corner kick | saque de esquina. corner |
| cross | pase cruzado |
| crossbar | travesaño |
| defender | defensa |
| draw | un empate |
| dropped ball (when restarting play) | balón a tierra |
| equaliser | la igualada |
| extra time | tiempo suplementario |
| extra-time | prórroga |
| field markings | marcación del terreno |
| field of play | terreno de juego |
| first half | primer tiempo |
| fit | en forma / sano |
| fixture | encuentro |
| fixture list | programa de encuentros |
| flagposts | banderines |
| forward | delantero |
| foul | falta |
| free kick (direct/indirect) | tiro libre (directo/indirecto) |
| friendly game | partido amistoso |
| goal / penalty area /the box | área de meta |
| goal average | promedio de goles |
| goal kick | saque de puerta / portería /meta |
| goal line | línea de meta. |
| goal scorer | goleador |
| goalkeeper | portero / guardameta / golero |
| goalpost | poste, palo de la portería |
| half time interval | intervalo del medio tiempo / descanso |
| halfway line. | línea media |
| handball! | ¡mano! |
| header | cabezazo |
| heads or tails | cara o cruz |
| home | en casa |
| hooligan | Ultra |
| injured player | un jugador lesionado |
| injury time | descuento |
| kick | patada |
| kick | dar una patada |
| kick-off | saque de salida |
| laws of the game | reglas de juego |
| league | liga |
| linesman | juez de línea |
| local derby | enfrentamiento de dos equipos vecinos |
| manager | entrenador |
| match | partido |
| midfield player | centrocampista |
| move | jugada |
| national team | (la) selección |
| opposing team | equipo adversario |
| own goal | propia meta |
| pass | pasar |
| penalty kick | tiro penal / penalti |
| penalty spot | punto penal |
| player | jugador |
| cup-winners cup | recopa |
| red card | tarjeta roja |
| referee | árbitro |
| replay | repetición |
| restart of play | reanudación del juego |
| score a hat trick | marcar tres goles (en un partido) |
| score draw | un empate a cero |
| scoreboard | marcador |
| season | temporada |
| second half | seguno tiempo |
| send a player off | expulsar un jugador |
| shinguard | canillera/espinillera |
| shorts | pantalones cortos |
| side | equipo |
| spanish equivalent of F.A cup | copa del rey |
| spectator | espectador |
| staduim / ground | estadio |
| strip | los colores del equipo (uniforme?) |
| studs | tacos |
| substitute | sustituto. |
| supporter | hincha / seguidor |
| sweeper | líbero / barredor |
| tackle | internada |
| team (international) | seleccion |
| team | equipo |
| terrace | grada |
| the ball | balón |
| the coach | el entrenador |
| the final score | el resultado final |
| the highest goal scorer this season | el máximo goleador de esta temporada |
| the net | la red |
| the pitch | el campo |
| throw-in | saque de banda |
| ticket tout | revendedor de entradas |
| to book a player | amonestar un jugador |
| to keep goal | jugar de guardameta / de portero |
| to score a goal | marcar / meter un gol |
| to shoot at goal | tirar a puerta / al arco; disparar |
| touch line | línea de banda |
| tournament | torneo |
| turnstile | torniquete / molinete / puerta |
| underdog | el que tiene menos posibilidades |
| unsporting behaviour | conducta antideportiva |
| wasting time | perdida de tiempo |
| what was the score? | ¿cómo terminó el partido? |
| what’s the score? | ¿cómo van? / ¿cómo va el marcador? |
| whistle | silbato pitido |
| winger | extremo |
| world cup | mundial |
| yellow card | tarjeta amarilla |
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