Association Football Terminology - S

S

• Safety: see Survive.
• Save: when a goalkeeper prevents the football from crossing the goal line between the goalposts.
• Scissor kick: see Bicycle kick.
• Scorpion kick: acrobatic kick of the type first notably performed as a save by René Higuita in 1995 while playing for Colombia at Wembley stadium against England.
• Scrimmage: see goalmouth scramble.
• Seal dribble: type of dribble, in which a player flicks the ball up from the ground onto their head and then proceeds to run past opponents whilst bouncing the ball on top of their forehead, somewhat imitating a seal.
• Season: the time period during which primary competitions in a certain country are played. In most European countries the season starts around September and ends in May, with a winter break in December and January. In other countries the season is played within a single calendar year. It is often customary to use the Super Cup to mark the beginning of a season while the Cup final usually marks its end.
• Second season syndrome: phrase sometimes used by commentators in English football used to describe a downturn in fortunes for a football club two seasons after its promotion to the Premier League.
• Sending off: see red card.
• Set piece: dead ball routine that the attacking team has specifically practised, such as a free kick taken close to the D.
• Shielding: defensive technique, in which a defensive player positions their body between the ball and an attacking opponent, in order to prevent that opponent from reaching the ball. At all times while shielding the ball, the defender must maintain control of the ball within a nominal playing distance, otherwise the technique becomes obstruction, and a foul is called.
• Shin pads or Shin guards: mandatory piece of equipment, usually made of plastic or rubber, worn underneath the socks in order to protect the shins.
• Shoot: specialised kicking technique mainly used by forwards. The purpose of shooting is to get the ball past the goal line (usually beating the goalkeeper in the process), though some shots may be made in order to win corners or force the keeper to deflect the ball into the path of a teammate - this will only be the case if scoring directly from the shot seems unlikely. See Shooting (association football). To attempt to shoot is to take a shot.
• Shootout: see penalty shootout.
• Shutout: see Clean sheet.
• Side netting: outside of the net part of the goal, which stretches back from the goalpost to the stanchion.
• Silver goal: rule which was briefly in use between 2002 and 2004 in some UEFA competitions when elimination matches were level after 90 minutes. In extra time, the match would end if one team was winning after fifteen minutes of extra time. Unlike the golden goal, the game did not finish the moment a goal was scored.
• Simulation: see diving.
• Six-a-side football: variant of association football adapted for play in an arena such as a turf-covered hockey arena or a skating rink. Unlike in futsal the playing field is surrounded by a wall instead of touch lines. The ball can be played directly off the wall, which eliminates many frequent stoppages that would normally result in throw-ins, goal kicks and corner kicks. Played by two teams with 6 players each. Also known as arena soccer, indoor football, indoor soccer or simply as six-a-side.
• Six-pointer: game between teams both competing for a title, promotion or relegation, whereby the relative difference between winning and losing can be six points.
• Slide tackle: type of tackle where the defending player slides along the ground to tackle their opponent.
• Soccer: alternative name for the sport of association football. Originating in Britain, and derived from the "s-o-c" in "association", the word was commonly used in the UK until the 1970s. Now it is used most commonly in countries where other codes of football are prominent, for instance American football in the United States, and Australian rules football and rugby league in Australia.
• Spion Kop: see Kop.
• Spot-kick: see penalty-kick.
• Squad numbers: numerical markings on players' shirts used to distinguish individual players in a game of football. First used in 1928, and initially assigned to distinguish positions in a formation, they gradually became associated with individual players, irrespective of where they are positioned on the pitch. This gave rise to the custom of retiring numbers.
• Squad rotation system: managerial device, whereby the manager selects from a large number of players in first team games, rather than having a regular first eleven.
• Square ball: when a ball is passed between teammates laterally, across the field of play.
• Squeaky-bum time: tense final stages of a league competition, especially from the point of view of the title contenders, and clubs facing promotion and relegation. Coined by Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.
• Stanchion: part of the framework of the goal which holds the upper rear part of the net in the air and away from the crossbar.

• Stepover: skill move performed by an attacking player in which the player with the ball will move their foot over the ball without making contact with it. The intent of the move is to confuse a defender into thinking that the attacking player is moving with the ball in a certain direction; when the defender changes direction, the attacker will quickly change direction. Also spelt step over.
• Stoppage time: an additional number of minutes at the end of each half, determined by the match officials, to compensate for time lost during the game. Informally known by various names, including injury time and added time.
• Street football: informal variations of the sport. Games often forgoe many requirements of a formal game of football, such as a large field, field markings, goal apparatus and corner flags, eleven players per team, or match officials (referee and assistant referees). Synonymous with jumpers for goalposts.
• Striker: one of the four main positions in football. Strikers are the players closest to the opposition goal, with the principal role of scoring goals. Also known as forward or attacker.
• Studs: small points on the underneath of a player's boots to help prevent slipping. A tackle in which a player directs their studs towards an opponent is referred to as a studs-up challenge, and is a foul punishable by a red card.
• Substitute: player who is brought on to the pitch during a match in exchange for an existing player.
• Sudden death: feature of penalty shootouts. If scores are level after each side has taken five penalties, the shootout continues until one side misses.
• Supporter: see fan.
• Survive: opposite of Relegation, when a struggling team secures enough points to guarantee their position in that league for the following season. Also known as securing safety.
• Suspension: players are forced to miss their team's next game(s) if they pick up an alloted number of bookings in league or tournament matches, or are sent off in a previous fixture.
• Sweeper: defender whose role is to protect the space between the goalkeeper and the rest of the defence. Also referred to as libero.