As many are aware, this month the World Cup games begin in host countries Canada, US and Mexico. Although in the US, the game is known as “soccer”, the term actually traces its roots back to England, where the name football is commonly used.
In the 1880s, students at the University of Oxford had a trend of adding the slang suffix "-er" to shorten words. When "Association Football" was codified to distinguish it from "Rugby Football," students shortened "Association" to "assoccer," which quickly evolved into "soccer." For nearly a century, people in the UK used "football" and "soccer" interchangeably. However, the British dropped the word in the late 20th century to distance themselves from American culture, where the term had become dominant.
Today, the influence of the sport extends far beyond the pitch and into our everyday language. Here are some everyday idioms that come straight from the game, along with how to use them.
Soccer Idioms Used in Daily English
Kick things off
Meaning: To start an event, discussion, or project.
Example: "Let’s kick things off by reviewing the notes from our last meeting."
Keep the ball rolling
Meaning: To maintain the momentum of an activity or project.
Example: "We had a great sales month, so let's keep the ball rolling in June."
Be on the ball
Meaning: To be quick to understand, react, and handle things efficiently.
Example: "Our new assistant is really on the ball; she anticipated the heavy sales.
A game of two halves
Meaning: A situation where the second part is completely different from the first.
Example: "Our fiscal year was a game of two halves; we struggled early on but doubled our profits later."
Blow the whistle
- Meaning: To report wrongdoing, corruption, or illegal activity to the authorities.
- Example: "An anonymous accountant decided to blow the whistle on the company's tax fraud."
Watch from the sidelines
- Meaning: To choose to observe an action or conflict instead of participating.
Example: "Instead of watching from the sidelines, you should join the committee and speak up.