caño
/ˈkaɲo/
In Spanish, the term for being "megged" in soccer is caño.
The noun caño refers to the specific act of a nutmeg, where the ball passes between a player's legs during a game of soccer.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the colloquial expression meter un túnel is sometimes used to describe a nutmeg.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkaɲo/
Did you know?
- In some South American street soccer cultures, a caño is viewed as a more prestigious achievement than scoring a goal, as it symbolizes total dominance over an opponent.
- The word caño can also refer to a 'pipe' or 'conduit' in several Spanish-speaking countries, making the soccer term a colloquial metaphor for the ball traveling through a narrow tube.
- The etymology of caño is linked to the word caña, which refers to a 'cane' or 'reed', suggesting the narrowness of the space the ball passes through.
Examples in context
- ¡El jugador del Real Madrid hizo caño al defensor del Barcelona!The Real Madrid player megged the Barcelona defender!
- La estrella del equipo rival pasó por debajo de las piernas del portero.The rival team's star player megged the goalkeeper.
- Le hicieron un caño en el partido.They megged him during the match.
- ¡Qué buen caño le metiste!What a great nutmeg you gave him!
- El jugador se enojó cuando le hicieron el caño.The player got angry when he was megged.
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are talking about a soccer match they just watched.
- Javier¿Viste el caño que hizo el delantero?Did you see the nutmeg the forward did?
- ElenaSí, fue la mejor jugada del partido.Yes, it was the best play of the match.
- JavierEl defensa se quedó totalmente congelado.The defender was completely frozen.
- ElenaEs que ese caño fue perfecto, Javier.It's just that that nutmeg was perfect, Javier.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry caño, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries caño, CC BY-SA 4.0.
