Do You Speak Football?

'At last, the definitive guide to football phraseology across the world... Sparky and very funny.'
Paul Hayward, Daily Telegraph

''Amusing and informative in equal measure.'
Oliver Kay, The Times

An expertly compiled and utterly fascinating compendium of the weird and wonderful words and phrases used to describe football around the world.

To speak football is to speak a language of a thousand tongues…

In this ground-breaking global glossary of football words and phrases, you'll discover the rich, quirky and joyously creative language used by fans, commentators and players across the world.

From placing a shot 'where the owl sleeps' in Brazil, to what it means to use your 'chocolate leg' in the Netherlands, via Wembley-Tor – a phrase adopted by Germans to describe a dubious goal – this comprehensively researched book will entertain and inform in equal measure.

Discover the unfortunate Finnish term for a holding midfielder, what it means when South Korean fans get nostalgic about a 'Leeds season' and why Dundee United supporters should keep their heads down in Nigeria.

With over 700 terms from 89 countries (including 29 ways to describe a nutmeg), this is the definitive guide to the global language of football.