Robbie

Also called "libero" (Italian for "free"). A defender who sits behind the back line to mop up balls that get through. Unlike other defenders, the sweeper had license to carry the ball forward and start attacks. Beckenbauer, Baresi, and Sammer were famous for combining defensive work with creative passing from deep. The role has mostly vanished because modern teams play high lines and use the offside trap.

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.

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.

When VAR rules a player offside by millimeters, usually because their armpit or sleeve is beyond the last defender. The technology can draw lines to this precision, but it feels absurd to disallow goals for body parts you can't even score with. Fans mock it, but it's technically correct under the rules. Led to calls to give attackers the benefit of the doubt.

Statement that one player is definitively better than another. "Messi is clear of Ronaldo" or "Haaland clears Kane." Leaves no room for nuance - it's a complete dismissal of the comparison. Often followed by "and it's not even close." Used in debates where fans don't want to engage with actual arguments and just want to state their conclusion as fact.