Japanese Soccer Terms – Football Vocabulary

[ADS] Advertisement

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].

We also recommend reading:

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/soccer or ball sports. Currently this word is used to refer more to the predecessor of football/soccer called cuju that emerged in China.

A curiosity is the Japanese soccer team, nicknamed Samurai Blue (サムライ・ブルー). We recommend reading: Why does the Japan national team play in blue in football/soccer?

- kamamoto, nakata and nakamura: the legends of japanese football/soccer

How to say Goal in Japanese?

Goal in Japanese is said gooru [ゴール]🇧🇷 If there is an own goal, 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] – A tie
  • doroo [ドロー] – draw, 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] – Kick
  • 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].

Read too: Will Japan be able to beat the odds in the World Cup?

Soccer ball and trophy on grassy football pitch at stadium

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.

- automatic draft
automatic draft

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, penalty kick
  • adobanteeji [アドバンテージ] – Advantage
  • booru deddo [ボールデッド] – dead ball
  • 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
A player shooting on goal

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, 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

Responsive Table: Scroll the table to the side with your finger >>
JapaneseRomajiPortuguese
ウィングwinguAllah
審判がshinpan gawhistle
ウォームアップエリアwomu appu eriaheating area
観客席kankyaku sekibleachers
スローするsurō suruthrow
スローsurōpitch
FWefudaburyūattacker
ベンチbenchiBank
シュートするshūto suruhit
VIP席buiaipī sekicabin
グランドholdingfield
ホームhumuHouse
シュートするshūto surukick
シュートshūtokick
フリーキックfuri kikkufree kick
フリーキックを蹴るfurī kikku o kerudemand
センタリングするSittingu Suruto cross
ディフェンダーdifferencedefender
3位決定戦san-i kettei-sendispute for third place
ドリブルdoriburudribble
ドリブルするdoriburu surudribble
予選yosenknockout
入り口iriguchiProhibited
コーナーキックkōnā kikkucorner kick
スタジアムsutajiamuStadium
ファウルfaurulack
座席の列zaseki no retsurow
決勝kesshoFinal
フィニッシュする/ゴールを決めるfinisshu suru / gōru or kimerufinish
フェイントするfeinto surufeint
アウェイaweiout of the house
ゴールgorugoal
ゴールキーパーgorukīpāgoalkeeper
ペナルティーエリアpenarutī eriabig area
オフサイドobfuscatedoff-side
入場券nyūjō kenticket
ハーフタイムhafu taimubreak
サイド(バック)left(bakku)side
リベロbrooklibero
ラインrainline
ゴールラインgoru rainbottom line
ゴールラインgoru raingoal line
センターラインsit rainmiddle line
サイドラインout rainsideline
マークするmaku suruMark
プレイオフ/勝ち抜き戦purei ofu/ kachinuki-senkill-kill
MFemuefuquite
MFemuefumidfielder
ベスト16決定戦besuto ichi roku kettei-senoctaves final
パスするpasu surupass
パスpasupass
PKpīkeipenalty
ゴールエリアgoru eriasmall area
sekiarmchair
ファーストラウンド/ファーストステージfāsuto raundo/ fāsuto suteijifirst phase
延長stuffedextension
ベスト8決定戦besuto hachi kettei-senQuarterfinals
敗者復活戦haisha fukkatsu-senrecap
出口deguchiexit
セカンドラウンド/セカンドステージsekando raundo/ sekando suteijisecond level
準決勝jun kesshoSemifinal
チームchīmuteam
ゴールキックgōru kikkugoal kick
パスするpasu surutouch
応援するōen suruto twist
ポストposebeam
バーbadash
ボランチboranchisteering wheel
ディフェンダーdifferencedefender

Did you learn all the soccer related words and terms in Japanese? Hope you enjoyed the article.

Share This Article:

AI Chatbot Avatar