played the ball and not the man

A form of play the ball and not the man — To attack the ball instead of an opponent who is usually controlling the ball. Often considered a positive action, and sometimes a requirement not to concede a penalty.

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Meanings

verb
  1. participlepastsimple past and past participle of play the ball and not the man
Cite this entry
APA

played the ball and not the man. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/played%20the%20ball%20and%20not%20the%20man

MLA

“played the ball and not the man.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/played%20the%20ball%20and%20not%20the%20man. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “played the ball and not the man,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/played%20the%20ball%20and%20not%20the%20man.

Source: played the ball and not the man on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.