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Football (Soccer) vocabulary · Set Pieces & Restarts

Free kick

Meaning in football (soccer), with examples

/ˌfriː ˈkɪk/nounCore term

In football (soccer), free kick means: A kick awarded after a foul or another offence by the opponents, taken from where the offence happened while opponents stand at least 9.15 metres (10 yards) away.

In Turkish: serbest vuruş, frikik

How it is used

A direct free kick can go straight into the goal; an indirect free kick must touch another player first, and the referee raises an arm to show it. Players win, give away, take or curl a free kick, and the defending team lines up a wall.

Example sentences

  1. She curled the free kick over the wall and into the top corner.

  2. We gave away a silly free kick on the edge of the box.

Common collocations

  • direct free kick
  • indirect free kick
  • take a free kick
  • free-kick specialist
  • give away a free kick
  • wallA line of defending players standing side by side, at least 9.15 metres (10 yards) from the ball, to block a free kick aimed at their goal.
  • set pieceA planned move from a restart of play, such as a corner kick, free kick or throw-in, which is usually practised in training.
  • foulAn unfair or illegal action against an opponent, such as tripping, pushing or holding, for which the referee gives a free kick or a penalty.
  • penaltyA shot at goal from the penalty spot, 11 metres (12 yards) from the goal line, given when a defender commits a direct free-kick offence inside their own penalty area.

More terms: Set Pieces & Restarts

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