Iconic phrases used by Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson added to the dictionary

Iconic phrases used by Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson have been added to the Oxford English Dictionary.

Both men have achieved incredible success in football and their huge impact on the game has now been recognised in an unusual way.

A collection of 15 football terms, including 'Panenka', 'Rabona' and the 'Cruyff turn', have been inducted into the dictionary, along with famous terms used by Mourinho and Ferguson.

Roma boss Mourinho, who has also had spells in charge of Chelsea, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Manchester United during his managerial career, has made his way into the dictionary courtesy of a slightly ironic phrase he once used - 'Park the bus'.

Mourinho first used the term to describe Tottenham's tactics in a game in 2004, but football fans know that throughout his career 'The Special One' has been guilty of doing that himself on more than one occasion.

The phrase is defined as: "To play in a very defensive way, typically by having the majority of outfield players close to their own goal and showing little attacking intent."

Sir Alex has entered the dictionary for the phrase, 'Squeaky Bum Time', which he used to describe his team challenging for the title in the closing stages of the Premier League season.

Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson have both made huge impacts on British football.

They have also left lasting legacies on the English language - phrases coined by two of the most decorated managers the game has seen have been added to the Oxford Dictionary… pic.twitter.com/ZMmwi49AVj

— The Athletic UK (@TheAthleticUK) October 5, 2022

It is defined in the dictionary as: 'A particularly tense period of time, esp. one leading up to the climax of a competition or event.'

Other words indicted into the dictionary include 'Cruyff turn', made famous by legendary Dutch footballer Johan Cruyff, and 'Panenka' - named after Antonin Panenka, who scored a penalty of this type in the 1976 European Championships final.

Additional phrases include 'Row Z', 'Outfield', 'Over the top', 'Tiki-taka', 'top scoring', 'trequartista', 'zonal marking' and 'total football' - another phrase also created (un-officially) by Cruyff as a player and manager.