The Football Dictionary

Top bins is football slang for goals that are scored where the ball hits the very top corner of the net - near the stanchion or the ‘postage stamp’ where the crossbar meets the posts. It takes high precision and power to place the ball in such a hard-to-reach area of the goal. It’s the peak of shooting, often a worldie.

Italian for “biscuit”, it is a term used when two teams enter a final group game or league fixture knowing a particular results – usually a draw – eliminates a third side and suits both the teams playing just fine. It originates from historical horse-racing cheats, where targeted horses were fed a ‘biscuit’ laced with sedatives prior to a race. In football, sometimes teams genuinely play for a point and there is no outright collusion. If a scoreline suits both sides it’s natural they play to that result. The term is rooted in Italian football but applies wherever groups are involved.

If a match in a knockout tournament ends level after 90 minutes it will then move into extra time in most cases (some competitions like the English League Cup now go straight to a penalty shootout). This notches up the drama and anxiousness for fans, especially at big tournaments like the World Cup, Euros, or AFCON. Extra Time is made up of two 15-minute periods. If the tie is still level after that, a penalty shootout takes place.

If a knock-out tournament match is level after 90 minutes it will then move on to extra time and penalties if still no winner can be found. Each team has 5 chances to score from a penalty kick, taking it in turns, the team that scores the most goals wins. The pressure builds as you reach the end of the 5 kicks. If it is level after 5 kicks each, sudden death begins. A penalty shootout could go on forever in theory, with every player taking a kick, including goalkeepers, until one team scores and the other misses. In big games like the World Cup, there is nothing quite like the intensity of a penalty shootout!

A legendary phrase forever associated with Brazil and the Brazilian footballing life. Joga Bonito is Portuguese for ‘Play Beautifully’. There is a focus not only on winning, but winning with style, scoring outrageous goals and taking the street football skills of the Favela and the beach football style to the international stage. It’s about beauty, style, and individual brilliance, only passing to another player in a good position, not just keeping the ball for the sake of it.

The collective name for Scotland's travelling supporters, the term was first used in the early 1970s and took to the global stage at the 1978 World Cup - there was even a novelty pop song called ‘Ally’s Tartan Army’ celebrating the team and its manager Ally MacLeod. They show up to matches in kilts, face paint, and full tartan regalia often even including bag pipes. The Tartan Army has a reputation that goes beyond football; they're consistently voted among the friendliest away supporters at major tournaments, more likely to be sharing a beer with locals than causing trouble.

Traditionally, hydration breaks are used during games when temperatures hit a certain threshold, typically 32°C or above. It’s a short break for players to take on liquids. For the 2026 World Cup, a new, mandated hydration break was brought in. There is one hydration break halfway through each half when the ball goes out of play, and they last for three minutes each. It’s a big talking point, a stealth way for more advertising to be shown during matches, frustrating viewers in the stadiums and at home.

The award given to the goalkeeper deemed to have had the best overall performance and biggest impact on their team during the World Cup, part of a trio of trophies along with the Golden Boot and Golden Ball. It doesn’t necessarily mean the keeper who has kept the highest number of clean sheets, although a high number of clean sheets will point towards a great tournament for a keeper. In other competitions, such as the English Premier League, the Golden Glove is awarded the goalkeeper with the highest number of clean sheets during a season.

The Golden Ball trophy is awarded to the best player at the World Cup. A shortlist is drawn up by the FIFA technical committee and the winner voted for by the media. Not to be confused with the Golden Boot, which is awarded to the top scorer in the tournament. In the men’s World Cup, it was first awarded in the 1982 edition, and in the women’s World Cup it has been awarded since 1991. Runners-up receive the Silver Ball and third place the Bronze Ball.

The award given to the player who scores the most goals in a single World Cup tournament. This accolade is called the Golden Boot in both the men’s and women’s World Cup. It doesn’t always correlate that the player with the most goals at the tournament also win the Golden Ball trophy for the best player. For example, Germany’s Oliver Kahn won the player of the tournament in 2002 despite Ronaldo scoring 8 goals on the way to the title with Brazil. There is also a Golden Glove trophy for the best keeper at the World Cup.