New

Push the ball one way with the outside of your foot, then snap it back the other way with the inside of the same foot, all in one motion. Also called the flip-flap or snake. Creates the illusion of going one direction before exploding the other way. Ronaldinho made it famous, though Rivellino and Sérgio Echigo were doing it earlier. At speed, it's almost impossible to defend.

Dribbles that move the ball at least 10 yards toward the opponent's goal or into the penalty area. It separates players who carry with purpose from those who just run sideways. Wingers and ball-carrying midfielders stack up numbers here. A high progressive carry count means you're beating players and advancing the ball, not just keeping possession.

Passing the ball through an opponent's legs and collecting it on the other side. Also called "panna" in street football or "megs" in British slang. It's embarrassing for the defender and always gets a reaction from the crowd. You need good timing and sometimes a feint to open their legs. Nobody's quite sure where the name comes from - theories include Victorian nutmeg trading slang and cockney rhyming slang.

How good the backup players are when starters get injured or rested. Deep squads can rotate without losing quality. Shallow squads fall apart when key players are missing. Manchester City's depth means their B-team could challenge for titles; smaller clubs rely on 11 players and pray they stay fit. Modern football's congested schedule makes depth more valuable than ever.

Arsenal's 2003-04 squad that went the entire Premier League season unbeaten: 26 wins, 12 draws, 0 losses. The first team to do it in modern English football. Arsène Wenger built a side mixing French technique (Henry, Pires, Vieira) with English grit. The unbeaten run reached 49 games before Manchester United ended it in October 2004. It's hard to imagine anyone doing it again.

A player so good they only come along once in a generation. Gets overused - not everyone can be generational or the word loses meaning. True generational talents change the game and dominate for years. Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappé fit the definition. Calling every promising youngster generational has become a running joke because it happens so often now.

An unofficial understanding between a club and a player that they'll let him leave if a certain type of offer comes in, even if his contract doesn't include a release clause. Used to keep players happy and committed without giving up all leverage. The problem is they're unwritten and unenforceable, so clubs sometimes deny they exist when big offers arrive.

An agreement to sign for a new club that can be made when a player has six months or less on their current contract. The player sees out their deal, then joins the new club on a free. Big clubs hate it because they lose valuable players for nothing. Players and agents love it because all the money that would've gone to the selling club can go into wages and signing bonuses instead.

Roll the ball up the back of your standing leg and flick it over your head, over the defender, and collect it on the other side. The ball arcs like a rainbow. High-risk, high-reward, and often considered showboating if you do it when you don't need to. When it works, it humiliates the defender. Neymar does it regularly and has drawn angry reactions from opponents who didn't appreciate being embarrassed.

Putting the ball in your own net. Usually bad luck, a deflection, or a desperate clearance gone wrong. The last player to touch it gets the own goal credited to them. Teammates and fans generally forgive it because nobody does it on purpose. Deliberate own goals are one of football's biggest taboos.