Red-coloured card used by a referee to signal to a player that he or she is being sent off for an offence under the Laws of the Game.

The person who interprets and executes the rules. He is the only person, except for the players who is permitted on the field. He wears a clearly distinct uniform from the players. Until recently it was always black. Supplied with a whistle, no play can begin before he blows it and all play must stop when he does blow it. His decisions are without appeal and he can admonish (verbally) sanction (yellow card) or expel (red card) any at his own discretion. He is assisted by line judges, who are positioned off the field to call the ball out of play and to indicate to the players which team takes control of the ball to bring it back into play. There is currently a referee who signals the entrance and exit of new players (substitutions) and over time.

Device allowing fans to experience all the ups and downs of a match without the need to see it, depending on the description or commentary made by a journalist or commentator who gives his or her words appropriate emotional force according to the proximity of moves to one or other of the goals, for example. The tactical content and players performance and positioning are aspects often handled by a second journalist or expert commentator, who provides such information during stoppages to the game, as silence is not allowed in this particular arm of the mass media. It is not uncommon for a boring, monotonous match to be an electrifying experience for radio listeners, and the radio phenomenon goes even further: many fans take their radios to the stadium so that they can listen to what they are seeing. Many more also turn down the sound on their television sets to listen to the radio commentary.

Meteorological phenomenon that does not in itself affect the continuity of a match unless the referee considers that the pitch has become unplayable. Examples of conditions in which the referee may suspend matches are if there are flooded areas of the pitch (the ball floats) or mud prevents the ball from rolling. There are no hard and fast rules, however, and referees decisions to suspend or not tend to be rather arbitrary.

The action of taking possession and control of a ball passed by a teammate.

Verb: To regain strength after suffering a knock or get better from an injury. Noun: Recovery: Action by which a player dispossesses an opponent of the ball or intercepts a pass, launching his own teams attacking moves.

A term taken from the penal code and which takes its inspiration from it. A player repeatedly committing fouls, which individually, do not merit a yellow card, may nevertheless be shown it due to the accumulation of offences. The number of fouls is not stipulated in the Rules and Regulations, and depends very much on the referees patience.

The team of officials in charge of a football match, made up of the referee, the two linesmen and the fourth official.

A player chosen by the coach to form part of the team that begins matches, though he may miss the occasional game and still be considered a first-team regular.