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40+ Useful Football Expressions and Idioms in English

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Football Expressions and Idioms in English! The following article introduces the list of common phrases and idioms used in football with ESL image.

Football Expressions and Idioms in English

Common Football Expressions

  • win/ lose a match

Spain lost their first match 0-1.

  • draw a match

Uruguay and Argentina drew 0-0.

  • play against (sb)

Who were Nigeria playing against last week?

  • beat (sb)

Brazil beat Italy in the final.

  • lose against (sb)

Bolivia lost 2-1 against Argentina.

  • draw with (sb)

Liverpool drew with Juventus.

  • shoot

Messi shoots too often. He needs to pass more.

  • score a goal

Van Persie scored a wonderful goal against Spain.

  • make a save

Casillas made a few good saves.

  • concede a goal

Portugal conceded 4 goals against Germany.

  • tackle (sb)

I didn’t know if he had the ball or not, so I just tackled him.

  • foul (sb)

The English players were trying to foul Pirlo.

  • get a yellow card

It was a bad tackle but he only got a yellow card.

  • be sent off

Pepe was sent off by the referee.

  • be substituted

Torres played so badly that he was substituted.

  • back of the net

You should’ve seen it, it was such a great goal. Back of the net!

  • Man on!

Quick! Man on! Pass the ball to Jones!

  • We were robbed

It is very difficult to swallow, we feel like we’ve been robbed.

  • He’s got a sweet left foot.

He’s the best player on the team, and he’s got a sweet left foot.

  • He pulled off a great save, what a save!

The goalkeeper pulled off six terrific saves.

  • Hit the woodwork

He almost had it, but unfortunately it hit the woodwork.

Other Phrases :

  • They got stuck in
  • Ran the defence ragged
  • He’s got a lot of pace
  • The goalkeeper made a howler
  • It’s a game of two halves

Idioms Related Football

  • get the ball rolling
  • get a kick out of something
  • kick something off, to kick-start something
  • keep one’s eye on the ball
  • watch from the sidelines
  • move the goalposts
  • be on the ball
  • a political football
  • at this (late) stage in the game
  • kick sb around
  • score an own goal
  • take sides
  • blow the whistle on sb
  • know the score

Football Expressions and Idioms | Image

Football Expressions and Idioms

ESLBUZZ

Max Love

Tuesday 23rd of August 2022

Still, no explanation of any

Ismael

Wednesday 10th of February 2021

i love this podcast it’s very useful πŸ‘πŸΎπŸ€—

Cullaene

Tuesday 4th of August 2020

Why are there no expressions

somoene

Sunday 1st of March 2020

i cant see the expressions, only idoms .....