# footballer

/fˈʊtbɔːlɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/footballer
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. soccer player

noun · CEFR A2 · British English

a person who plays association football (soccer).

For teachers: a person who plays association football, typically used in British English to refer to professional players.

- The young footballer signed a contract with a famous team in London.
- The retired footballer now works as a television pundit, providing expert analysis on Premier League matches every weekend.

Usage: In British English, this almost exclusively refers to association football (soccer) players.

### 2. American football player

noun · CEFR B2 · American English · Formal

a person who plays American football.

For teachers: a person who plays American football; this term is less common in the United States than 'football player'.

- The college footballer hoped to be drafted into the professional league.
- Early twentieth-century journalists often referred to the gridiron athletes as footballers before the term 'football player' became the standard American idiom.

Teaching tip: In the US, people almost always say 'football player' rather than 'footballer'.

## Examples

- The young footballer dreams of playing for a famous club.
- After the match, the footballer stayed on the pitch to sign autographs for the traveling fans.
- While many young athletes aspire to become a professional footballer, only a small percentage possess the combination of physical discipline and tactical intelligence required to succeed at the highest level.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.