Do You Speak Football?: A Glossary of Football Words and Phrases from Around the World

Description

'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.

Tom Williams lives in London and covers football for the Agence France-Presse international news agency. His writing has also been published by The Blizzard, The Guardian and Bleacher Report. He has featured on BBC Radio 5 Live, BT Sport, CNN, BBC News 24, the BBC World Service, talkSPORT and the Totally Football Show. @tomwfootball #doyouspeakfootball

At last, the definitive guide to football phraseology across the world. The richness of the game's language shines through in this addictive glossary. Sparky and very funny. -- Paul Hayward * Daily Telegraph * Funny, erudite, rich in detail and endlessly readable. Perfect for anyone who thinks they already know about the language of football. -- Barney Ronay * The Guardian * Amusing and informative in equal measure. Who knew Dundee United commanded such disdain in Nigeria? -- Oliver Kay * The Times * Quirky, addictive, stuffed with anecdote, it's far more than a glossary... the writing is precise, light and often lovely. A treat. -- Jonathan Northcroft * Sunday Times * A fascinating and necessary work. -- Jonathan Wilson * founder of The Blizzard and bestselling author of Inverting the Pyramid * Ein super Buch! -- Raphael Honigstein * The Guardian and author of Das Reboot * A wonderful, endlessly delightful book * When Saturday Comes * There are plenty of books about the language of football already, but surely not one like this: funny, informative and truly global. * 11Freunde * Top Ten Xmas gift idea for the football fan in your life. * AS *