“Tiki-taka”

Definition

A style of play built on short passes, constant movement, and keeping the ball so long the other team loses its mind. The idea is simple: if we have the ball, you can’t score. Today’s Spain plays a faster, more direct version, but the DNA is the same.

Origin

Spanish TV commentator Andrés Montes gets the credit for popularizing it during the 2006 World Cup. It’s basically onomatopoeia. Tiki-taka is the sound of the ball ticking from boot to boot, pass after pass after pass, like a clock that refuses to stop.

Used in a sentence

“Spain went full tiki-taka in the second half. France chased shadows for 20 minutes and never touched the ball.”