Tag
Internet Culture
Internet Culture
24 definitions
How a player or manager will be remembered after they're gone. Social media debates constantly revolve around who has the best legacy, what achievements count more, and whether a bad end ruins what came before. World Cups matter more than leagues for legacy arguments. Finishing at one club versus moving around for trophies is a whole legacy debate in itself.
Toni Kroos's retirement interview focused heavily on legacy - he left Real Madrid as a six-time Champions League winner, prioritizing ending at the top over squeezing out a few more seasons at a lower level.
Robbie
Jan 27, 2026
An insult for strikers who score mostly from close range - the implication being anyone could tap the ball in from there. Used to dismiss prolific scorers by suggesting positioning doesn't count as a skill. Poachers would argue that being in the right place constantly is harder than it looks. Inzaghi got called this his whole career, but he won everything and scored in Champions League finals.
Filippo Inzaghi was labeled a tap-in merchant throughout his career, but as he noted: "I'd rather score 100 tap-ins than 50 bicycle kicks. The ball in the net is what counts" - his movement and anticipation made him a Champions League legend.
Robbie
Jan 27, 2026
An insult for a player whose goal stats are padded by penalties. Used to dismiss achievements by arguing they couldn't score as many from open play. Common in online debates comparing strikers, though it's often unfair to designated penalty takers who didn't choose to be handed spot kicks. Bruno Fernandes at United is a frequent target.
Bruno Fernandes has faced "penalty merchant" criticism at Manchester United, with detractors noting that removing his penalties would significantly reduce his goal contributions - though supporters argue converting them still requires quality.
Robbie
Jan 24, 2026
When a player is on fire and can't stop performing. "He's cooking" means they're in unstoppable form, usually dominating matches and making everything look easy. The term spread from internet slang into mainstream football commentary. Can also be used negatively - "they got cooked" means they got destroyed.
When Salah scores a hat-trick or Haaland puts three past a hapless defence, football Twitter says they're "cooking" - the term captures those periods when players seem incapable of having a bad game.
Robbie
Jan 24, 2026
Suffix attached to criticize how a player scores or performs. "Penalty merchant," "tap-in merchant," "vibes merchant." The accusation is that they depend on one thing rather than having a complete game. It's dismissive and usually unfair because if you're consistently doing something well, that's a skill. But it's everywhere in online debates.
Marcus Rashford was called a "vibes merchant" when his performances became inconsistent - critics suggested he was better at social media content and personal branding than actual football, which was both cruel and reductive.
Robbie
Jan 24, 2026