Ever wondered why scoring three goals in one game is called a hat-trick? Or if players get an actual cap when they play internationally?
Wonder no more. BBC Bitesize is here to help you learn the origins of some of the best-known and most widely used football terminology.
1. Hat-trick
A player gets a hat-trick when they score three goals in one game, but the use of the term actually didn’t start on the football pitch. The phrase came from cricket, and was used when a bowler took three wickets from three consecutive balls. The club would give the bowler a hat to celebrate this achievement.
2. Nutmeg
If you’ve been nutmegged you might feel pretty foolish. Well, some argue, this was part of the reasoning behind using it to describe having the ball threaded between your legs. In the 1870s nutmeg was very valuable, so sneaky traders used to mix wooden replicas in with the real ones, tricking people who bought them.
3. Clean sheet
If your team wins without letting the other team score, you’ve kept a clean sheet. This is because sports reporters used to record scores on white sheets of paper - so if yours was clean at the end of the match, that would mean no goals had been scored against you.
4. Cap
When a player plays for their country’s team they’re said to receive a cap. As it turns out, players literally do get a cap! Years ago, these were used to distinguish teams from one another, before distinctly coloured football shirts became the norm.
5. Volley
The word volley as a sporting term is thought to have first been used in tennis around 1851, and comes from the French 'volée', which means ‘flight’. It originally was used to describe lots of arrows being fired by archers at the same time.
6. Derby
A derby is when two teams from a local area play against one another. There are a couple of different theories about the origins of this word; one is that it comes from a horse race started by the Earl of Derby in 1780. Others claim that it is named after the city of Derby, which was renowned for a wild and, frankly, dangerous game that everyone in the local area would take part in.
This article was published in September 2018
For more excellent English content, head to the KS1 English revision guides.
How to pronounce new words. revision-guideHow to pronounce new words
Are some of these words new to you? Learn how to pronounce new words with this KS2 guide.
Association football factfile. revision-guideAssociation football factfile
Want to learn more about football? Have a look at this GCSE guide.
As an avid football enthusiast with a deep understanding of the sport's terminology and history, I can shed light on the origins of some commonly used football expressions mentioned in the article.
-
Hat-trick: The term "hat-trick" originated in cricket, not on the football pitch. In cricket, when a bowler took three wickets from three consecutive balls, the club would reward the achievement by giving the bowler a hat. The tradition carried over to football when a player scores three goals in a single game.
-
Nutmeg: The use of the term "nutmeg" in football, referring to the ball being threaded between a player's legs, has a historical connection to the 1870s. During this time, nutmeg was a highly valuable commodity, and crafty traders would mix wooden replicas with the real ones, deceiving buyers. The feeling of being "nutmegged" in football may relate to the foolishness of falling for such tricks.
-
Clean sheet: If a team wins without conceding any goals, they are said to have kept a "clean sheet." This term has its roots in sports reporting, where scores were traditionally recorded on white sheets of paper. A clean sheet meant that no goals had been scored against the team.
-
Cap: When a player represents their country's team, they are said to receive a "cap." Interestingly, players used to literally receive a cap as a distinguishing item, a practice that predates the widespread use of distinctly colored football shirts.
-
Volley: The term "volley" in sports, particularly in football, has its origins in tennis around 1851. It is derived from the French word 'volée,' meaning 'flight.' Originally used to describe archers firing lots of arrows simultaneously, it eventually became associated with striking a ball in mid-air without letting it touch the ground.
-
Derby: In football, a "derby" refers to a match between two local teams. The term's origins are debatable, with one theory suggesting it comes from a horse race started by the Earl of Derby in 1780. Another theory links it to the city of Derby, known for a wild and dangerous game that locals participated in.
These insights showcase the rich history and diverse origins of football terminology, highlighting the sport's evolution and its connections to other activities such as cricket and archery.
