General
nutmeg
What does nutmeg mean?
A skill move in which a player pushes the ball between a defender's legs and runs around to retrieve it, one of the most humiliating ways to be beaten in a one-on-one.
"He put the full-back on skates with a filthy nutmeg down the touchline."
Origin
Debated: linked to 1870s Cockney rhyming slang ('nutmegs' = legs) and to a 19th-century sense of being tricked or 'nutmegged' by dishonest spice traders.
Frequently asked questions
What is a nutmeg in football?
It's a skill move where a player pushes the ball through a defender's legs and collects it on the other side, one of the most humiliating ways to beat someone one-on-one.
Where does the word nutmeg come from?
Its origin is debated, but it's linked to old Cockney rhyming slang where 'nutmegs' meant legs, and to a 19th-century sense of being tricked or 'nutmegged.'
Is a nutmeg a foul?
No, a nutmeg is a legal dribbling move; it's simply beating an opponent by playing the ball through their legs.
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