But do we know it quite as well as we think? Really?
Because there are a whole load of teams whose names we’ve been saying wrong for ages – many of us without even realising.
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A large part of that is down to geography.
Of the 92 clubs in English professional football, all but two have the name of their city, town, borough or region in their title.
The exceptions are Port Vale and Arsenal – although the Gunners were originally called Woolwich Arsenal when they played in South London.
As a result, we often tend to add the place names for some clubs that go by a single name to help us clarify which team we are referring to – more on that later.
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For other examples, it is a case of mistranslation – or, more specifically, partial translation.
Finally, it could simply be a bit of laziness or ignorance.
Anyway, with that all said, who are some of the regular football clubs we mispronounce or simply get wrong?
This often gets nicknamed to AZ Alkmaar – but the A in AZ stands for Alkmaar.
So AZ Alkmaar would mean Alkmaar Zaanstreek Alkmaar.
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To make things even more confusing, Alkmaar is the city the club is based in while Zaanstreek refers to the Zaan district in North-West Netherlands. Got it?
Sticking in the Eredeivisie, there are regularly mentions of PSV Eindhoven when in actual fact the club’s full name is Philips Sport Vereniging, or PSV for short.
There is no mention of Eindhoven, the city where they are based.
The same rule applies to various other teams – where the city has been added for overseas fans to grasp exactly where they play.
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See Zenit Saint Petersburg and CSKA Moscow in Russia – officially Zenit and CSKA – AEK Athens.
Here are all the games that will be televised in December…
Tuesday 3 December
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19:30 Ipswich v Crystal Palace (Amazon Prime Video)
20:15 Leicester v West Ham (Amazon Prime Video)
Wednesday 4 December
19:30 Everton v Wolves (Amazon Prime Video)
19:30 Man City v Nott’m Forest (Amazon Prime Video)
19:30 Newcastle v Liverpool (Amazon Prime Video)
19:30 Southampton v Chelsea (Amazon Prime Video)
20:15 Arsenal v Man Utd (Amazon Prime Video)
20:15 Aston Villa v Brentford (Amazon Prime Video)
Thursday 5 December
19:30 Fulham v Brighton (Amazon Prime Video)
20:15 AFC Bournemouth v Spurs (Amazon Prime Video)
Saturday 7 December
12:30 Everton v Liverpool (TNT Sports)
17:30 Man Utd v Nott’m Forest (Sky Sports)
Sunday 8 December
14:00 Fulham v Arsenal (Sky Sports)
16:30 Spurs v Chelsea (Sky Sports)
Monday 9 December
20:00 West Ham v Wolves (Sky Sports)
Saturday 14 December
17:30 Nott’m Forest v Aston Villa (Sky Sports)
Sunday 15December
14:00 AFC Bournemouth v West Ham (Sky Sports)
16:30 Man City v Man Utd (Sky Sports)
19:00 Southampton v Spurs (TNT Sports)
Monday 16 December
20:00 Brighton v Crystal Palace (Sky Sports)
Saturday 21 December
12:30 Aston Villa v Man City (TNT Sports)
17:30 Crystal Palace v Arsenal (Sky Sports)
Sunday 22 December
14:00 Fulham v Southampton (Sky Sports)
16:30 Spurs v Liverpool (Sky Sports)
Thursday 26 December
12:30 Man City v Everton (Amazon Prime Video)
15:00 AFC Bournemouth v Crystal Palace (Amazon Prime Video)
15:00 Chelsea v Fulham (Amazon Prime Video)
15:00 Newcastle v Aston Villa (Amazon Prime Video)
15:00 Nott’m Forest v Spurs (Amazon Prime Video)
15:00 Southampton v West Ham (Amazon Prime Video)
17:30 Wolves v Man Utd (Amazon Prime Video)
20:00 Liverpool v Leicester (Amazon Prime Video)
Friday 27 December
19:30 Brighton v Brentford (Amazon Prime Video)
20:15 Arsenal v Ipswich (Amazon Prime Video)
Sunday 29 December
14:30 Leicester v Man City (Sky Sports)
17:15 West Ham v Liverpool (Sky Sports)
Monday 30 December
20:00 Man Utd v Newcastle (Sky Sports)
We don’t do the same to PSG Paris, Juventus Turin, Schalke Gelsenkirchen or Real Betis Seville.
In Spain, it is Atletico de Madrid, not Atletico Madrid or worse still Athletico Madrid.
Athletic should be used for the team in Bilbao.
But they are Athletic Club or simply Athletic – and definitely not Athletic Bilbao.
In Spain, there is just one major club it could refer to whereas in England we have Charlton and Wigan, for example.
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Across the border in Portugal, it is a similar mistake with Sporting Lisbon.
They are actually Sporting Clube de Portugal, Sporting CP or Sporting – but not Sporting Lisbon.
It is such a touchy subject that a #NotSportingLisbon campaign was launched to raise awareness for the error.
The 2010 Champions League final was contested between Bayern Munich and Inter Milan.
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However, Inter Milan should be referred to as Internazionale or Inter – although the official name is Football Club Internazionale Milano.
As for the German giants, Bayern Munich sees half of the name translated into English – Munchen to Munich – but Bayern left in German.
So it should either be Bayern Munchen – the official name – or Bavaria Munich.
One of the other big teams in Germany also needs flagging.
RB Leipzig are part of the Red Bull group along with Red Bull Salzburg and New York Red Bulls.
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But the RB in RB Leipzig’s name does not stand for Red Bull – well, not technically.
It is no coincidence that the letters are RB – to make people think of Red Bull – alongside the red bulls on their logo.
However, the German FA ban corporate company brands in club names.
So they found a workaround and called the club RasenBallsport Leipzig instead – RasenBallsport translates as Lawn Ball Sports.
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Many refer to the Serbian team as Red Star Belgrade when “red star” is simply a literal English translation of their official name, Crvena Zvezda.
And finally, the 1985-86 European Cup was won by Steaua Bucuresti, not Steaua Bucharest.
Although they now have a new name, formally switching to FCSB in 2017 as a shortened version of FC Steaua Bucuresti.
But the team is categorically not called Steaua Bucharest – which would be like the half-translation of Bayern Munich – because “steaua” is “star” in Romanian.
Join Chris “Bear” Fallica, former NFL Offensive Lineman Geoff Schwartz, and the Gambling Group Chat as they break down NFL Week 8’s Super Six powered by DraftKings Sportsbook. Can the Seattle Seahawks cover the 3-point spread at home against the Buffalo Bills?
Seldom asked to do much aside from recycle the ball to Gabriel or Saliba until the final stages
Pushed a potentially dangerous cross out of danger in the 84th minute. Pulled out a magnificent low save in injury time before claiming a dangerous cross to keep his clean sheet.
BEN WHITE – 6
Back in at right-back today and played as if he had never been out of the team.
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Received a yellow card in the 34th minute. Subbed at half-time for Mikel Merino.
WILLIAM SALIBA – 7
In the team after his red card against Bournemouth, played like his typically assured self marshalling the defence.
One or two sloppy passes late in the second half but otherwise can have no complaints with another solid performance.
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GABRIEL MAGALHAES – 5
Sloppily gave the ball away to hand the visitors a dangerous chance out of nothing. Had another lapse just after the opener but in the end he was bailed out by Calafiori.
Marked improvement in the second half.
RICCARDO CALAFIORI – 6
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Skied a golden chance over the bar after six minutes. Tested the goalkeeper again after 24 minutes.
Dragged his foot and went down injured after skipping under a tackle in the 67th minute. Replaced by Myles Lewis-Skelly in 71st minute.
THOMAS PARTEY – 6
Comfortable evening in midfield for him. Recycled the ball well when at his feet and kept play ticking over.
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Moved to right back as White was hooked but didn’t have too many worries. When he was caught out of position Rice was able to cover.
DECLAN RICE – 6
Like Partey, he had a quiet night in midfield with Shakhtar unable to retain meaningful possession.
Moved into the six as White was hooked and Partey moved to right-back. Cut out a dangerous low cross at the edge of the area.
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LEANDRO TROSSARD – 4
Nothing quite went right for him all night with some sloppy touches ending attacks and putting Arsenal in trouble.
Summed up his night by missing a 77th minute penalty and was hooked in the 88th minute.
GABRIEL JESUS – 8
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Wore the captain’s armband and looked bright down the right wing.
Denied a well-deserved goal by the feet of the keeper in the 43rd minute after Havertz played him in.
Second half saw more good link play, but never had another chance to end his goal drought as he was replaced by Sterling in the 68th minute.
GABRIEL MARTINELLI – 7
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Grew into the game following a quiet start and was rewarded with a goal, of sorts, after 30 minutes.
Brazilian cut inside from the left wing before firing a shot to the near post before the shot rebounded off the woodwork and hit the goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk to go in the net.
KAI HAVERTZ – 7
Centimeters away from getting Arsenal’s second in the 39th minute after Jesus squared a volley back across goal.
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Returned the favour to set up his team-mate moments later only for the goalkeeper to prevent a goal.
Won a free-kick at the very end of the game to run the clock down.
SUBS
Mikel Merino (on for White HT) – 6
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Some nice touches and stitched play together well. A solid yet unspectacular performance.
Raheem Sterling (on for Jesus 68 mins) – 6
Tried to play on the shoulder of the last man but did not have the pace find the clear cut chance he would have liked.
Myles Lewis-Skelly (on for Calafiori 71 mins) – 6
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Slotted in at left-back and was not afraid to show for the ball but often did not receive it while tucking infield.
Former UFC star Paige VanZant’s second appearance in Power Slap wasn’t a success the way her debut was.
On Thursday in Abu Dhabi, VanZant slapped her way to a unanimous draw against Chelsea Dodson, with all three judges scoring the fight 28-28 after three slaps each. VanZant won the first and third rounds but was docked a point for a clubbing foul in Round 2.
You can watch video highlights in the clips below:
Paige VanZant and Chelsea Dodson slap to unanimous draw in the former UFC fighter’s second Power Slap appearance. 👋 pic.twitter.com/g5e36x8d0W
Fernando Alonso will miss his media day obligations at the Mexico City Grand Prix through illness, but is aiming to drive in Friday practice as he celebrates his 400th Formula 1 grand prix.
The Spaniard was due to miss the opening free practice session at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in any case, as reserve driver Felipe Drugovich is pencilled in to drive in his stead to satisfy the rule over young drivers being given running in FP1.
However, Alonso will not take part in Thursday’s media activities, where he was due to appear in the second press conference session with Charles Leclerc and Zhou Guanyu.
A team statement from Aston Martin read: “Fernando Alonso is feeling unwell and will therefore not attend media day at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
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“Fernando is focused on feeling 100% for Friday and his planned return to the AMR24 for Free Practice 2.”
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
Although the Mexico race is Alonso’s 400th race weekend as a Formula 1 driver, it is not until Qatar where he will celebrate his 400th start.
The Spaniard failed to start in the 2001 Belgian Grand Prix, the 2005 US Grand Prix (in which all Michelin runners pitted after the formation lap) and the 2017 Russian Grand Prix.
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Currently on 399 race entries, Alonso is some way ahead of the next most experienced drivers in Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton, while former holder Rubens Barrichello is fourth on the all-time list with 326 entries.
“It’s nice to achieve. Obviously, championships and race wins are what matter most to us as drivers but, at the same time, it shows my love for the sport and the discipline I’ve had to perform at a very high level for more than 20 years,” Alonso said of his milestone.
“In that time, I’ve achieved what every racing driver dreams of doing: becoming world champion, and I’ve had some incredible experiences racing against some of the best drivers in the world on the greatest racetracks.
“I don’t think I’ll be adding another 400 to my total, but hopefully I’ve got at least another 40 or 50 more races to come in the next couple of years.”
There have been a number of changes to the Northern Ireland squad from their final Euro 2025 qualifier in July at home to Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Former captain Marissa Callaghan and Glentoran’s Demi Vance are two high-profile omissions, with the likes of Joely Andrews, Nadene Caldwell, Caragh Hamilton and Kerry Beattie ruled out through injury.
On the absence of Callaghan and Vance, Oxtoby reiterated that “the door will remain open” for their return, but believes the squad has enough experience and quality to overcome Croatia despite the numerous alterations.
“Those conversations [on the absences] will remain private between myself and the players as I think that is respectful, they have been given feedback like every player does,” Oxtoby explained.
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“We feel we have a great squad composition; we have a lot of tactically flexibility, so I feel like we’re in a really good place.”
Oxtoby was pleased to welcome Nottingham Forest defender Nat Johnson into a first squad since qualifying for Euro 2022, after impressing for her club.
“She’s fitted in really with this group, brought a lot of positive energy and really wants to be a sponge,” the manager added.
“She has been doing well with her club and has been rewarded with selection.”
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