Translating Soccer

Take a look at the word we Americans know as soccer in six different languages:
Le football (France)
fotboll (Sweden)
futebol (Brazil)
サッカー(Japan)
英式足球 (China)
football (Australia, England, Scotland and many others)

Now ask yourself this: If the word soccer isn’t even the same in every language can you imagine how difficult it might be to try and teach an international player what it means to “step up”, “get wide”, or “pressure” ?

As I mentioned in my previous blog, the international players in WPS have scrapped and clawed their way into dominant positions on their respective teams, standing atop leader boards and consistently piloting their squads to victories.
It’s amazing that the languages of the nine countries represented, six of which do not speak English, have not posed more problems out on the pitch.

But, just taking a look at the Los Angeles Sol erases all shadows of doubt that a team cannot learn how to globally work together.
A team with seven international players (Camille Abily—France, Han Duan—China, Martina Franko—Canada, Johanna Frisk --Sweden, Karina LeBlanc --Canada, Marta--Brazil, and Aya Miyama--Japan), only 2 of whom actually speak English as their first language, the Sol have had no trouble superseding the language barrier. Even with 5 different languages flying around the field, the Sol are comfortably sitting 16 points ahead in the WPS standings and just clinched WPS’s first playoff spot.

"At first, I didn't know what they wanted (me to) do," said Sol forward Camille Abily in an article by Luis Bueno last Saturday in The Press Enterprise. "Sometimes I'd tell them, 'I'm sorry, I didn't understand.' We needed every time to talk, but everyone knows the soccer, and we are smart."


It didn’t take long for Abily, who’d never played abroad before, to learn—she is currently tied with Brazilian teammate, Marta for number of goals scored in WPS with eight. Furthermore, of those eight times she’s fired into the back of the net, four of them came off of assists from fellow international players, Marta and Aya Miyama. Language obviously hasn’t impeded these international stars from collaborating and shining through for the Sol on the field.

"On the field, it's all the language of soccer," said Marta in the same article, "All world knows about soccer, and you can always communicate one way or another on the field."

International Sol team members have, however, taken steps off the field to improve their English. Lessons in English away from the pitch whether from daily life or simply from teammates have gradually increased the foreign footballers English vocabulary. (Sometimes the internationals even get to teach the English speaking players a word or to—check out Sky Blue FC’s Rosana teaching Keeley Dowling some Portuguese words in preparation for Sky Blue FC’s match against the Sol.)


So, translation: I think that Marta put it the best--the game of soccer, football, fotboll or whatever you choose to call it transcends any kind of oral obstacles because at the end of the day it’s not about how you use your mouth on the field it’s what you do with your feet (or hands).

Also check out this blog by Boston Breaker English defender Alex Scott which playfully talks about some of the differences between the American and English language