Ever wondered how to say Soccer/Football in Japanese? How do you say game terms like penalty, foul, goalkeeper, goal, world cup and other words related to the most famous game in the world?
In this article, we are going to share with you Soccer/Football in Japanese language. Words and vocabulary related to football in Japanese, the famous Japanese language known as nihongo [日本語].
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Table of Content
How do you say Soccer/Football in Japanese?
The first thing you need to know is that football in Japanese is sakkaa [サッカー] and comes from the English language soccer, as football in US English refers to American football.
There is also the Japanese word shuukyuu [蹴球] to refer to football or ball sports. Currently, this word is used more to refer to the predecessor of football called Cuju that originated in China.
A curiosity is the Japanese football team, nicknamed Samurai Blue (サムライ・ブルー). We recommend reading: Why does Japan's national team play in blue in football?
How to say Goal in Japanese?
Goal in Japanese is called gooru [ゴール]. If an own goal occurs, it is called oun gooru [オウンゴール]. Other related terms can be seen in the list below:
- gooru wo yurusu [ゴールを許す] - Take a Goal, Concede
- make [負け] - lose, defeat
- haiboku [敗北] - defeated
- hikiwake [引き分け] - Tie
- doroo [ドロー] - draw
- douten gooru [同点ゴール] - equalizer
- douten-san [同点弾] - tiebreaker
- tokushittensa [得失点差] - Goal of Difference
- nokku auto [ノックアウト] - deleted
- tensa [点差] - difference of points
- kikku [キック] - Fall
- shuutoo [シュート～] - kick, shot
- naishuu [ナイシュー] - nice kick
How to say Soccer Football World Cup in Japanese?
The Japanese often abbreviate world cup by using W杯 (daburu hai), which can also be written in katakana [ダブル杯]. The ideogram [杯] means cup, often referring to sake cup.
The Japanese also often use the English term “World Cup” [ワールドカップ]. To refer to the cup qualifiers, the term [ワールドカップ予選] is used.
The cup can also be called [FIFA ワールドカップ]. There is an interesting term in Japanese which is Whai netsu [W杯熱] which literally means world cup fever.
The schedule or schedule of World Cup matches is called shiai nittei [試合日程]. Group stages in Japanese are called guruupu riigu [グループリーグ].
The quarterfinals is called junjun kesshou [準々決勝]. The semifinals are called jun kesshou [準決勝]. Runner-up in Japanese is jun yuushou [準優勝].
The final tournament in Japanese is called kesshoo toonamento [決勝トーナメント]. The trophy is called torofii [トロフィー]. Another interesting term is walkover which can be said rakushou [楽勝].
Positions of Soccer Players in Japanese
Assistant Referee in Japanese can be derived from English ashisutanto referii [アシスタントレフェリー]. There is also a Japanese word for the assistant referee which is fukushin [副審]. The chief judge or arbiter is called the shushin [主審] , or referii.
The attacking player is called fowaado [フォワード] from English forward. We also have sutoraikaa [ストライカー] derived from the English striker. Defense in Japanese is difendaa [ディフェンダー] and also derives from English.
Midfielder in Japanese is called middofiirudaa [ミッドフィールダー]. Goalkeeper in Japanese is gooru kiipaa [ゴールキーパー]. Other player positions can be seen in the list at the end of the article.
Japanese Soccer/Football Vocabulary List
To end the article, let’s see some more soccer words in Japanese:
- daihyou [代表] - National Team
- sutaatingu menbaa [スターティングメンバー] - Escalation, Starting Line
- sutaatingu [スターティング] - Escalation
- hikae senshu [控え選手] - Reserve Player, Substitute
- riido [リード] - winning, leadership
- koukakuken [降格圏] - Relegation Zone
- tokuten [得点] - Points, Score
- sukoa [スコア] - Score
- tokuten suru [得点する] - score points
- kachi [勝ち] - win, victory
- shouri [勝利] - Victory
- fauru [ファウル] - Lack
- hando [ハンド] - hand on the ball
- reddo kaado [レッドカード] - Red card
- ieroo kaado [イエローカード] - Yellow card
- penarutii kikku (PK) [ペナルティーキック] - Penalty kick
- adobanteeji [アドバンテージ] - Advantage
- booru deddo [ボールデッド] - Bola morta
- koin tosu [コイントス] - flip the coin
- keikoku [警告] - Warn
- baishikuru kikku [バイシクルキック] - bicycle kick
Parts of the Soccer Field in Japanese
- goorukiipaa guroobu [ゴールキーパーグローブ] - Goalkeeper gloves
- gooru posuto [ゴールポスト] - Goal post
- netto [ネット] - Network
- tacchi rain [タッチライン] - touch line, side line
- rokkaa ruumu [ロッカールーム] - Cloakroom, Locker Room
- benchi [ベンチ] - player bank
- sukoa boodo [スコアボード] - score
- sutando [スタンド] - Bleachers, seat, stands
- kankyaku [観客] - spectators
Parts of the Players' Uniform
- kitto [キット] - Team outfit
- jaajii [ジャージー] - shirt, jersey
- suneate [すねあて] - shin guards
- shin gaado [シンガード] - channels
- sakka sokkusu [サッカーソックス] - Soccer socks
- supaiku [スパイク] - cleats with spikes
- yunifoomu [ユニフォーム] - Uniform
Other Soccer/Football in Japanese
| Japanese | Romaji | Portuguese |
| ウィング | wingu | Allah |
| 審判が | shinpan ga | whistle |
| ウォームアップエリア | wōmu appu eria | heating area |
| 観客席 | kankyaku seki | bleachers |
| スローする | surō suru | throw |
| スロー | surō | pitch |
| ＦＷ | efudaburyū | attacker |
| ベンチ | benchi | Bank |
| シュートする | shūto suru | hit |
| ＶＩＰ席 | buiaipī seki | cabin |
| グランド | gurando | countryside |
| ホーム | humu | House |
| シュートする | shūto suru | kick |
| シュート | shūto | kick |
| フリーキック | furī kikku | free kick |
| フリーキックを蹴る | furī kikku o keru | demand |
| センタリングする | Sittingu Suru | to cross |
| ディフェンダー | difference | defender |
| ３位決定戦 | san-i kettei-sen | dispute for third place |
| ドリブル | doriburu | dribble |
| ドリブルする | doriburu suru | dribble |
| 予選 | yosen | knockout |
| 入り口 | iriguchi | entry |
| コーナーキック | kōnā kikku | corner kick |
| スタジアム | sutajiamu | stadium |
| ファウル | fauru | lack |
| 座席の列 | zaseki no retsu | row |
| 決勝 | kesshō | FAQ |
| フィニッシュする/ゴールを決める | finisshu suru / gōru or kimeru | finish |
| フェイントする | feinto suru | feint |
| アウェイ | awei | out of the house |
| ゴール | gōru | goal |
| ゴールキーパー | gōrukīpā | goalkeeper |
| ペナルティーエリア | penarutī eria | big area |
| オフサイド | obfuscated | off-side |
| 入場券 | nyūjō ken | ticket |
| ハーフタイム | hāfu taimu | break |
| サイド（バック） | said (back) | side |
| リベロ | brook | líbero |
| ライン | rain | line |
| ゴールライン | gōru rain | bottom line |
| ゴールライン | gōru rain | goal line |
| センターライン | sit rain | middle line |
| サイドライン | out rain | sideline |
| マークする | māku suru | Mark |
| プレイオフ/勝ち抜き戦 | Play off / knockout match | kill-kill |
| ＭＦ | emuefu | meio |
| ＭＦ | emuefu | midfielder |
| ベスト１６決定戦 | besuto ichi roku kettei-sen | octaves final |
| パスする | pasu suru | pass |
| パス | pasu | pass |
| ＰＫ | pīkei | penalty |
| ゴールエリア | gōru eria | small area |
| 席 | seki | armchair |
| ファーストラウンド/ファーストステージ | fāsuto raundo/ fāsuto suteiji | first phase |
| 延長 | enchō | extension |
| ベスト８決定戦 | best of eight playoff | Quarterfinals |
| 敗者復活戦 | haisha fukkatsu-sen | recap |
| 出口 | deguchi | saída |
| セカンドラウンド/セカンドステージ | sekando raundo/ sekando suteiji | second level |
| 準決勝 | jun kesshō | Semifinal |
| チーム | chīmu | team |
| ゴールキック | gōru kikku | goal kick |
| パスする | pasu suru | touch |
| 応援する | ōen suru | to twist |
| ポスト | pose | beam |
| バー | bā | dash |
| ボランチ | boranchi | steering wheel |
| ディフェンダー | difference | defender |
Did you learn all the soccer related words and terms in Japanese? Hope you enjoyed the article.