Weekly Football Phrase: (a) Naughty Tackle
22 October 2026
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 6:34 — 9.4MB) | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Podchaser | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | Youtube Music | | More
In this week’s football phrase we take a look at the noun phrase ‘a naughty tackle’, a phrase used to describe a type of challenge that could receive a caution. You can read the transcript for this podcast below, while you can also check out our glossary of footballing phrases here and visit our site to access all our previous posts and podcasts. If you have any suggestions or questions about the phrase or our podcast then you can contact us here.
-
- Ask students what kinds of fouls are common in football.
- Ask them if they think some fouls are part of the game or if all fouls should be punished severely.
- Before showing the script, play the podcast and ask students to note down any words they hear connected with fouls and challenges.
- Discussion: What is the difference between playing aggressively and playing unfairly?
Hi there everyone. My name is Damon and this is the Learn English Througb Football weekly football phrase podcast. How are you? How is your team doing? My club Liverpool were in action recently, and have picked up two wins – hooray! – one in the league and one in Europe, which means I’m feeling pretty good this week.
Anyway, I also heard the phrase I want to talk about today – the tackle was a bit naughty. It’s quite a common phrase in football commentary, particularly in Britain, so today we’ll look at what it means and how it is used.
Stinger: You are listening to the Learn English Through Football podcast (in Spanish)
Today’s Main Phrase
DB: Yes, you are listening to the Learn English through football podcast and that message was in Spanish. Thank you! Remember, if you can, send us a message saying just the same but in your language – ‘You are listening to the Learn English Through Football Podcast‘ and will add it to our show!
Right, today’s phrase – a naughty tackle, or that was a bit naughty.
Embed from Getty Images
(a) Naughty Tackle
The adjective naughty is often associated with children. A naughty child might break a rule, misbehave, or do something they know they should not do. In football, however, naughty does not mean childish. Instead, it means to do something that the player knows is slightly unfair, a bit reckless, or is trying to break the rules.
For example: ‘That was a naughty tackle from the defender’, or ‘The midfielder went flying in with a naughty challenge and was lucky to avoid a booking.’
The phrase is often used when a tackle deserves a foul or a yellow card, even a red card, but is not quite serious enough to be described as violent or shocking.
Imagine a player knows the ball is going out of play, but still slides in to tackle his or her opponent by the touchline. A commentator might say: ‘That’s a naughty tackle. The ball was dead.’ This means there was no need for the tackle, but the player can say they were just trying to keep the ball in play. A bit naughty.
(To) Leave One On Someone
DB: Another phrase you’ll sometimes hear alongside a naughty tackle is ‘to leave one on someone’.
If a player leaves one on an opponent, they make sure their tackle includes a little extra contact. Perhaps they arrive just a fraction late, or they allow their leg to catch the other player after the ball has gone.
For example: ‘The centre-back left one on the striker early in the match.’
This phrase often suggests the player wanted to send a message, letting the opponent know they will be in for a physical game. Nowadays, football tries to take player safety much more seriously than in the past, so referees are generally quicker to punish this kind of behaviour.
A naughty tackle may be spontaneous, while leaving one on someone often suggests a deliberate attempt to make the opponent feel the challenge. Leaving one on someone is very naughty!
Contact
DB: Remember, to come along to our site – learnenglishthroughfootball.com – where you can join in on our forum, check out our huge glossary, and find all sorts of other interesting stuff. Drop us an email at contact@learnenglishthroughfootball.com, and you can also find us on Facebook, Bluesky and Instagram. And don’t forget to support us by liking our podcasts and sharing them with your friends. Thanks!
Language Review
DB: So, on today’s short podcast we looked at the phrase ‘a naughty tackle’ and the expression ‘to leave one on someone’.
Can you think of similar expressions in another language that you know? Do commentators in your country use a phrase that suggests a foul is a little bit clever, cynical, or dishonest?
Let us know by emailing us at contact@learnenglishthroughfootball.com.
Stinger: You are listening to the Learn English Through Football Podcast (from a Bayern Munich fan)
Goodbye
DB: Yes, you are listening to the Learn English through football Podcast, or as we were known before Languagecaster. And that was from a Bayern Munich fan. That’s it for this week’s football expression. We’ll be back with our weekly podcast at the weekend with another football-language podcast. Enjoy the football this week – ta-ra!