Languages › French French Vocabulary Related to Soccer and the World Cup Share Flipboard Email Print Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Staff/Getty Images French Vocabulary Pronunciation & Conversation Grammar Resources For Teachers By ThoughtCo Updated May 24, 2019 Whether you love playing soccer or just watching games like the World Cup, learn some French soccer terms so you can talk about the sport. Note that in the U.S., "football" refers to football américain. In most of the rest of the world, "football" is what Americans call soccer. French Soccer Vocabulary In French, le football means soccer in English, and le foot translates as football. These and related terms are vital to know if you want to talk knowledgeably about soccer in French. Le football, le foot > soccer, football La Coupe du monde, le Mondial > World Cup Le match > game, match La période > half La mi-temps > halftime Le temps réglementaire > regular time (the standard 90-minute game) es arrêts de jeu > stoppage time La prolongation > overtime People and Players When talking about football in French, it's important to learn the French terms related to the game of soccer. Une équipe > team Les Bleus > "the Blues" - French soccer team Un footballeu > soccer/football player Un joueur > player Un gardien de but, goal > goalie Un défenseur > defender Un libero > sweeper Un ailier > winger Un avant, attaquant > forward Un buteur > striker Un meneur de jeu > playmaker Un remplaçant > substitute Un entraineur > coach Un arbitre > referee Un juge/arbitre de touche > line judge, assistant referee Plays and Penalties Understanding soccer in French means learning the terms for plays and penalties that are an inevitable part of soccer. Un but > goal Un but contre son camp > own goal Le carton jaune > yellow card Le carton rouge > red card Un caviar > perfect pass Des contestations / protestations > dissent Un corner > corner kick un coup franc, coup de pied arrêté > free kick Un coup franc direct / indirect > direct / indirect kick Un coup de tête > head butt Une faute > foul Une faute de main > hand ball Une feinte > fake out Un grand pont > kick/pass around a player's legs Hors-jeu > offside Un match nul > tie game, draw Le mur > the wall Une passe > pass Un pénalty > penalty kick Un petit pont > nutmeg, between-the-legs pass Le point de pénalty > penalty spot Une remise en jeu, une touche > throw in Une simulation > dive (fake fall) Six mètres > goal kick Sorti > out of bounds La surface de but > 6-yard box La surface de réparation > penalty box Un tacle > tackle Ne tête > header La volée > volley Equipment Equipment is a key part of French soccer, as these terms demonstrate. Le stade > stadium Le terrain de jeu > playing field, pitch Le milieu du terrain > midfield Le ballon de foot > soccer ball, football Les crampons > cleats Le filet > goal net Le maillot > uniform, kit Le piquet de corner > corner flag Le protège-tibia > shin guard Le sifflet > whistle Verbs Soccer is a game of action, so verbs—action words—are an important part of the game. Amortir > to trap, control Bétonner > to put up a strong defense Contrôler le ballon > to control the ball Déborder > to get past an opponent Dribbler > to dribble Être en position de hors-jeu > to be offside Expulser > to send off Faire du chiqué > to (take a) dive Faire une passe > to pass (the ball) Faire une tête > to head (the ball) Faucher > to bring down Feinter > to fake Jouer la ligne de hors-jeu, jouer le hors-jeu > to set an offside trap Marquer (un but) > to score (a goal) Mener > to lead, be winning Sauver un but/penalty > to save a goal/penalty Tirer > to shoot, kick Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation ThoughtCo. "French Vocabulary Related to Soccer and the World Cup." ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/french-soccer-terms-1371383. ThoughtCo. (2020, August 27). French Vocabulary Related to Soccer and the World Cup. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/french-soccer-terms-1371383 ThoughtCo. "French Vocabulary Related to Soccer and the World Cup." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/french-soccer-terms-1371383 (accessed April 14, 2021). copy citation