Posts by tag: terminology

In my recent deep-dive on global sports terminology, I discovered why other countries call what Americans know as soccer, 'football'. It all comes down to the game's historical roots, which are deeply embedded in the UK where the sport was originally named 'football'. The reason being, it's predominantly played using the foot, unlike American football. The term 'soccer' originated as slang for 'Association Football' in late 19th century England, but it's mostly used in the US now. So, despite the confusion, both terms refer to the same globally beloved sport.

Soccer is a sport that is widely played across the world and is known by different names. The two common terms used to refer to the sport are "match" and "game". Although the two terms are often used interchangeably, there are subtle differences between them. A 'match' is a longer, more formal competition usually involving two teams of 11 players each and played for 90 minutes. A 'game', on the other hand, is a shorter and less formal competition usually involving fewer players, such as a 5-a-side or 7-a-side match. The term 'match' is the term most often used in the United Kingdom, while 'game' is the preferred term in the United States and Canada.