The whistle has blown, and the 2025–26 soccer season has officially kicked off. And while fans are tracking scores, we are looking at a different kind of play: how soccer inspires the language of teamwork, communication, and performance in the workplace.

If you have ever heard a colleague say, “We need a win here,” with no ball in sight, you’ve already stepped into this linguistic match. English speakers, especially those working in global companies, love borrowing soccer phrases to bring energy and attitude into business conversations.

Why? Because these expressions capture drive, focus, and collaboration, qualities every winning team needs, On the pitch or in the office. Let’s take a look at four soccer-inspired idioms that have become part of the global business playbook.

Let’s Kick Things Off with “Kick Off”

There is no better place to start than with kick off, a phrase so versatile that it is practically the MVP of business jargon.

Straight from the field, where it marks the start of play, kick off signals the beginning of just about anything: a meeting, a project, or even a new business partnership worldwide.

• “Let’s kick off the meeting with the quarterly results.”

It’s optimistic and sets the tone for moving forward, just like on the field.

Set Things in Motion with “Get the Ball Rolling”

Closely related is, get the ball rolling, another favorite for anyone who wants to get things moving.

• “Let’s get the ball rolling on this new marketing campaign.”

It captures that same energy as the first whistle on match day, everyone ready, full of anticipation, when a new project begins or a match kicks off. For sports organizations launching new initiatives or training programs, and for businesses getting the ball rolling on new projects or campaigns, it’s a fitting metaphor for starting strong, building momentum, and staying in motion.

Keep Changing the Rules with “Move the Goalposts”

Ah, the dreaded moving the goalposts. If you have ever worked on a project where the targets kept shifting, you know exactly how this one feels.

• “They keep moving the goalposts with new requirements every week.”

In soccer or other sports, you can’t really do it, fans would go wild. In business though, it’s a metaphor for changing expectations or changing objectives midstream.

The Golden Rule: “Keep Your Eye on the Ball”

In soccer, taking your eye off the ball can cost you the match. In business, it might mean losing focus and losing a client, or missing deadlines.

• “With all these distractions, we need to keep our eye on the ball and focus on the deadline.”

It’s a reminder to stay on top of things and alert. In soccer, players have to keep their eye on the ball so they know their next move and see opportunities. Losing sight of the ball can mean missing a play or giving the opponent an opening. It’s the same on and off the field, if in business managing global teams or in a soccer club, coordinating international players and staff, staying focused keeps everyone ready to make the right move

Why These Idioms “Score” in Business

Soccer is a shared language that has infiltrated culture worldwide. Whether you grew up playing in the park or at school, whether you support Inter or Juventus, Arsenal or PSG, the imagery is familiar. That’s why these idioms work so well in international communication: they create instant understanding across cultures.

Using them in emails, meetings, or presentations shows not just fluency, but cultural intelligence, the ability to connect through a metaphor almost everyone gets. In global business, skilled communication is a competitive advantage.

Your Next Match

Next time you are in a kickoff meeting try using one of these idioms. It might just be the verbal hat trick that gets your team in sync.

And, if your team, club or sports organization is looking to level up its communication game, Maka is ready to step onto the field with you. From language training for athletes to interpreting for press events and multilingual content for global audiences, we help you speak the language of success confidently and as a team.

On the pitch or in the office, the real win comes from playing smart, staying focused, and communicating successfully.