Obscure football terms in different languages

Discussion in 'The Beautiful Game' started by Tom_W, Jul 5, 2017.

  1. leadleader

    leadleader Member+

    Aug 19, 2009
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    #26 leadleader, Jul 7, 2017
    Last edited: Jul 7, 2017
    "caño" (in Spain's vocabulary) - "nutmeg" (in English). Not really an obscure term in my opinion, as it's very common in Spanish narrations.

    "pelopina" - that's the Spanish term for Xavi Hernandez's signature 'pirouette' (twist and turn) skill. Hernandez was supposedly called 'El Pelopo' (The Pelopo) by his teammates, because he used that specific skill so much, as efficiently as he did. This specific term is one that I'd define as truly obscure, because I've never heard it outside of a very very specific context.

    "caracolear" - "caracoleando" - the more common Spanish term for (essentially) more or less the same skill as Xavi's pelopina.

    "le pifio a la pelota" (in Spain's vocabulary) - "pifiar" - I don't know for sure if that's correctly spelled, but that's a Spanish term for when the ball is hit badly or when the ball is not hit ideally. Not really an obscure term in my opinion, as it's used quite often in South American narrations.
     
    Tom_W and giles varley repped this.
  2. wm442433

    wm442433 Member+

    Sep 19, 2014
    Club:
    FC Nantes
    #27 wm442433, Jul 10, 2017
    Last edited: Jul 10, 2017
    Un "café crème". There's no real definition obviously. It is generally when a defender is ridiculized by an attacker. By a dribble or some spectacular skill. When the defender really understood nothing, or even fell to the ground.
    A very few commentators use this expression saying "il lui a servi/ fait un (bon) café crème là" or the more often just saying "café crème!".
    ''Café crème'' or not ''café crème'', it's in the eye of the spectator and the commentators of course can be reluctant about using this expression and image as the honour of one man is involved.
    The young generations don't use this expression at all.

    When an attacker has much space, that he has the opportunity to run at the goal from quite far with almost no defense on his way, there is a "boulevard" or "c'est la ligne droite de Longchamps!" (the racecourse/ racetrack, la longue ligne droite de la grande piste de l'hippodrome).
    It's a very popular expression. Or it was. One can doubt that everybody understands it nowadays. In France.
    Maybe there's the same with an English racecourse?
     
    Tom_W and giles varley repped this.
  3. wm442433

    wm442433 Member+

    Sep 19, 2014
    Club:
    FC Nantes
    ^
    Also, in a negative sentence : "Il n'y avait pas la ligne droite de Longchamps"/ ..."it was not the final straight of Longchamps".
    Used when a player is called off-side for a few centimeters or possibly was not off-side at all. When it is difficult to judge all in all.
     

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