off the ball

IPA/ˈɒf ðə bˈɔːl/
IPA/ˈɔf ðə bˈɔːl/

off the ball — idiom

1. In team sports like football, basketball, or rugby, describes actions or events

1.慣用語B2
釋義

In team sports like football, basketball, or rugby, describes actions or events that happen away from the player who currently has the ball — often used when discussing fouls, tactics, or movement that the match officials may not notice because their attention is on the ball.

例句

Defender Diarra shoved the striker off the ball while the referee was watching the play.

verb + opponent + off the ball (physical contact)

Coach Kim praised the team's off-the-ball movement in the second-half analysis.

hyphenated compound: off-the-ball + noun (tactical)

同義詞
  • away from the ball

    a non-idiomatic paraphrase that carries the same meaning but sounds less natural in commentary

  • off-ball

    a shortened compound form used especially in basketball and American football analysis

  • without possession

    formal or technical term used in coaching manuals rather than commentary

反義詞
  • on the ball

    describes a player who is alert and in control; opposite in literal focus but not a direct antonym

  • in possession

    describes the player currently holding or controlling the ball

文法句型

off the ball (adverbial)

off-the-ball + noun (compound modifier)

用法筆記

Common in live sports commentary and match analysis, especially when discussing fouls that the referee did not penalise because their focus was on the player with the ball. When used before a noun, the phrase is usually hyphenated (an off-the-ball incident). Not used in sports like tennis or baseball where players cannot physically interact away from the ball.

常見錯誤

❌The ball went off the ball.
✅The ball went out of play.
💡'Off the ball' refers to players' actions away from the ball, not to the ball itself leaving the field.
❌He passed the ball off the ball.
✅He passed the ball to a teammate.
💡'Off the ball' describes position or action without the ball, not a type of pass.