Soccer Vocabulary in French

Quick Answer

Whether you're watching the World Cup, cheering for your favorite club, or playing a game with friends, knowing key vocabulaire du football(soccer vocabulary) will help you understand the game in French. In this article, you'll learn essential words for players, positions, actions, rules, and common soccer expressions.

Questions This Article Answers

How do you say soccer in French?

What are the names of common soccer positions in French?

How do you talk about goals, passes, and shots in French?

What are some important soccer rules and penalties?

What are some useful expressions for talking about a soccer game in French?

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How Do You Say "Soccer" in French?

In French, the word for soccer is le football, often shortened to le footin everyday conversation. Unlike in the United States, where football usually refers to American football, French speakers use le footballor le foot to refer to the sport played with a round ball and goals.

examples
Je joue au football avec mes amis tous les samedis. I play soccer with my friends every Saturday.
On regarde un match de foot ce soir. We're watching a soccer game tonight.

Soccer vs. American Football

In most French-speaking countries, le footballor le footmeans soccer. To refer to American football, French speakers usually say le football américain.

Essential Soccer Vocabulary in French

Let's start with some of the most common words you'll hear during a game.

Basic Soccer Vocabulary in French

French	English
le ballon	the ball
le but	the goal
l'équipe	the team
le joueur	the player (male)
la joueuse	the player (female)
le match	the game
le stade	the stadium
le supporter	the fan (male)
la supportrice	the fan (female)
le terrain	the field
le tournoi	the tournament
la victoire	the victory

examples
Le stade était plein de supporters. The stadium was full of fans.
Notre équipe a remporté la victoire. Our team achieved victory.

Soccer Positions in French

Here are the most common names for soccer players (and referees) in French.

Player Positions in French

French	English
l'arbitre	the referee, the ref
l'arbitre assistant	the assistant referee, the assistant ref
l'attaquant	the forward, the striker
le capitaine	the captain
le défenseur	the defender
le gardien de but	the goalkeeper
le milieu de terrain	the midfielder
le remplaçant	the substitute

examples
Le milieu de terrain a récupéré le ballon. The midfielder won the ball back.
Le gardien de but a arrêté le tir. The goalkeeper stopped the shot.
L'attaquant a marqué deux buts pendant le match. The forward scored two goals during the game.

Common Soccer Actions in French

To talk about what happens during a game, you'll need to learn these important verb phrases in French.

Soccer Actions and Plays in French

French	English
centrer	to cross the ball
dribbler	to dribble
faire un meg	to nutmeg an opponent
faire une passe	to make a pass
faire une passe décisive	to provide an assist
faire une tête	to head the ball
intercepter	to intercept
marquer un but	to score a goal
récupérer le ballon	to win the ball back
tirer	to shoot

examples
Le milieu de terrain a tenté de faire un meg. The midfielder attempted a nutmeg.
Le défenseur a réussi à intercepter la passe. The defender managed to intercept the pass.
L'attaquant a marqué un but à la dernière minute. The striker scored a goal in the final minute.

Rules, Fouls, and Penalties

Soccer has many rules, and referees use different signals and cards to enforce them.

Rules and Refereeing Vocabulary in French

French	English
le carton jaune	the yellow card
le carton rouge	the red card
le coup franc	the free kick
la faute	the foul
le hors-jeu	the offside
la main	the handball
le pénalty	the penalty kick
le temps additionnel	stoppage time

examples
L'équipe a obtenu un pénalty dans les dernières minutes du match. The team was awarded a penalty kick in the final minutes of the game.
L'arbitre a sifflé un hors-jeu. The referee called an offside.
Le défenseur a reçu un carton jaune. The defender received a yellow card.

What Is Le Hors-Jeu?

Le hors-jeu(the offside) is one of the most difficult rules for new fans to understand. A player is generally offside if they receive the ball while positioned beyond the second-to-last defender (in other words, not the goalie) and actively participate in the play.

Useful Soccer Expressions in French

Here are some common expressions that commentators, fans, and players use.

French	English
Allez les Bleus !	Go France!
On mène un à zéro.	We're leading one-zero.
Quel but magnifique !	What a beautiful goal!
Quelle occasion ratée !	What a wasted opportunity!
L'arbitre a sifflé la fin du match.	The referee blew the final whistle.
C'est un match nul.	The game is tied.