Talking a good game

FOOTBALL will be the talk of the globe this month as the Fifa World Cup gets underway - but did you know that every lingo has its own lexicon of phrases from the beautiful game? Brits talk about "squeaky bum time" and always reckon "we wuz robbed" but what might they say in the other 48 countries in the tournament? Here JAMES MOORE reveals some international soccer slang...

- JAMES MOORE

Schwalbe: There are bound to be a few divers during the World Cup, who pretend they've been fouled in the penalty area.

In Germany such a player is described as this word that means "swallow", like the bird.

Pipoqueiro: There's always a player who fails to live up to the hype in the tournament, and in Brazil he's known by this term "popcorn man".

Bouffer la feuille: Meaning "eat the sheet" in French. England and Scotland fans will be able to recall many of these over the years - a shot that must surely go in but somehow misses.