A few handy words for speaking 'futebol' | Inquirer Sports

A few handy words for speaking ‘futebol’

/ 05:21 PM June 18, 2014

A miniature replica of the Christ the Redeemer statue is silhouetted against the sky as men play a popular local game known as ‘altinho’ on the Barra de Tijuca beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, June 2, 2014. Altinho is played with a soccer ball on the beach. The goal is not to let the ball drop, but passing to other players while keeping it airborne.   AP FILE PHOTO

RIO DE JANEIRO — To impress friends with your knowledge of futebol, here’s a few words and phrases Brazilians use to discuss their jogo bonito, the beautiful game:

Fominha — player who selfishly keeps or hogs ball. Derived from verb for hunger.

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Frango — embarrassingly easy ball goalkeeper shouldn’t have let in. Derived from word for chicken, idea being that ball was as elusive as a running chicken. A bad goalkeeper is a “frangueiro,” roughly meaning “chicken taker.”

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Gol de placa — extraordinarily beautiful goal.

Fregues — meaning customer, applied to teams that keep coming back for another whooping. They’re good customers.

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Drible da vaca — literally “cow’s dribble,” when player kicks ball past opponent, runs round him and collects ball on other side.

Bola quadrada — bad pass, literally “square ball.”

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TAGS: 2014 World Cup, Fifa, Football, language, Sports

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