Media

Often heard by commentators during big European, international or nighttime domestic fixtures during midweek, ‘Under the Lights’ is a term that refers to matches played under artificial floodlights. When compared to regular weekend, daytime matches, ‘Under the lights’ is used to describe the big-match feeling and excitement that accompany such matches and the bright lights and colours that are on show.

A way of rating overhead kicks by comparing them to Trevor Sinclair's famous effort for QPR against Barnsley in the 1997 FA Cup. Sinclair's volley was hit from outside the box, and flew into the back of the net. It's the gold standard. So when someone pulls off a bicycle kick, you place it on the Sinclair Spectrum to judge how good it actually was. Popularised by Max Rushden on the Guardian's Football Weekly podcast.

Fabrizio Romano's catchphrase for confirming a transfer is done. When he posts on social media "Here we go!" it's a sure fire way of knowing a deal is agreed. It's become the unofficial official announcement in football - fans refresh his account constantly during transfer windows waiting for those three words.

Scoring two goals in one game. The word originates from hunting, where a brace meant a pair of birds. Less celebrated than a hat-trick but still a strong individual performance.

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.

The last day of a transfer window. The last chance for clubs to sign players before the window slams shut and doesn't open again for a few months. In England, the transfer window usually closes at 11pm on deadline day in late August/early September for the summer window and in late January/early February for the winter transfer window. Sky Sports News has turned Transfer Deadline Day into a main sporting event twice a year, with the yellow ticker announcing transfers as they happen. Expect a flurry of late transfers and loans!

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.

A player who turns up for the biggest games and performs to a high standard, e.g. cup finals, title deciders etc. Other players can get labelled as players who only turn up against smaller teams.

The storyline the media and fans create around a player, team, or competition. Some narratives are lazy clichés that get repeated without evidence. Others capture real patterns. "Messi can't do it on a cold night in Stoke" was a narrative, so was "Liverpool always bottle it" before 2019. Narratives shape how achievements get perceived - sometimes unfairly.

Public statements and newspaper rumours coming from agents. Agent talk is designed to put pressure on clubs over player contracts or potential transfers. It usually involves saying the player is "disappointed" and mentions "interest from other clubs". This can work to create fan pressure to force the club to give a player a new, bigger contract, or it can backfire and led to a player looking greedy or disloyal. Super agent Mino Raiola was the master of agent talk.