Low block? Final third? Soccer terms, explained
The World Cup brings in new audiences to the sport of soccer. Here’s a quick primer on common soccer, err football, phrases.
The 2026 World Cup is captivating audiences across the globe, drawing in lifelong fans and newcomers alike. For those watching their first match, there are inevitably some phrases commentators have tossed around that might leave new fans scratching their heads.
Here’s a quick primer on some common soccer terms, with accompanying graphics from Northeastern’s NetSI Sport research group to illustrate what these terms mean on the field … err, pitch.
Low block
A defensive strategy in which a team positions its players deep into their own half, packing players closer to their own net to deny the opponent scoring chances near the goal.
The heat map graphic below shows Ghana’s low block strategy against England. The darker the red section, the more time Ghana’s players spent in that area. In this match, Ghana spent most of its time protecting its own section of the pitch near the goal, with two-thirds of its defensive plays happening there.
Set pieces
Dead-ball situations where play has stopped temporarily — like corners, free kicks and throw-ins — and where the offense can set up rehearsed plays to create scoring chances
The graphic below shows England’s set pieces against Ghana.
- The gold lines represent throw-ins, when the ball goes out of bounds off the defense and the offense throws the ball back in overhead from that spot.
- The red lines show corner kicks, which are awarded when the defense knocks the ball out of bounds between the goal and the corner of the field.
- The blue lines represent free kicks, when the offense is awarded the chance to shoot or pass from the spot where it was fouled by the defense.
Line breaks
Passes, dribbles, or carries that cut through an opponent’s defensive lines, bypassing — or breaking — one or more layers of their defense in a single move.
The graphic below shows a play in the Argentina-Algeria match that helps explain line breaks and between the lines. Argentina midfielder Rodrigo de Paul (identified by the white circle with a black star in the middle) makes a pass that eludes, or “breaks,” two lines of Algeria’s players and finds forward Lionel Messi. This play led to a Messi goal.
Final third
The attacking zone closest to the opponent’s goal, where teams on offense transition from building play to creating and finishing chances of scoring a goal.
The graphics below show Canada’s offense moving from outside to inside the final third in its group-stage matches. The final third is the top section of the graphics, between the goal and the black horizontal line. At left, passes into the final third; at right, dribbles and carries into the final third.
Data analysis provided by Brennan Klein, director for Northeastern University’s NetSI Sport research group.
