01 — Start here The beginner essentials The words you need on day one — positions, the format, the odds. Know these and you can follow any match.
12 terms
the attack On the pitch The attack is the group of players whose job is to score — the forwards and wingers furthest up the pitch, closest to the other team's goal. Related → the defense On the pitch The defense is the group of players whose job is to stop the other team from scoring — the defenders nearest their own goal, in front of the goalkeeper. Related → the midfield On the pitch The midfield is the band of players in the centre of the pitch who link defense and attack — they win the ball back and set up the chances. Related → the group stage How it works The group stage is the first round: the 48 teams are split into 12 groups of 4, and each team plays the other three in its group once. Related → to advance How it works To advance is to make it out of your group into the next round — the top two of each group go through, plus the eight best third-placed teams. Related → the knockout rounds How it works The knockout rounds are the single-elimination part after the groups: win and you stay in, lose and you go home — all the way to the final. Related → the favorites Odds & markets The favorites are the teams the betting markets think are MOST likely to win — the shorter the odds, the more expected the win. Related → the odds Odds & markets The odds are a number from betting markets that says how likely something is — we show them as a percent (a team's chance to win the trophy or to advance). Related → the underdog Odds & markets An underdog is a team the markets expect to LOSE — so when they win, it counts as an upset and the drama is bigger. Related → a hat-trick Scoring A hat-trick is when one player scores three goals in a single match — the rarest, most celebrated individual feat in a game. Related → the Ballon d’Or Football culture The Ballon d'Or is the sport's biggest individual prize — awarded each year to the single best player in the world. Related → the GOAT Football culture GOAT stands for "Greatest Of All Time" — the player fans argue is the best ever to play the game. Related →