Voorzet

Voorzet is a Dutch term used in football to describe a cross, a pass delivered from the flank into the penalty area with the intent of creating a goal-scoring opportunity for a teammate arriving in front of the goal. The ball is usually played from the left or right wing toward attackers in or around the six-yard box or penalty area.

A voorzet can be executed in several ways. It can be a high, looping cross aimed at a player heading the ball, a low, driven cross traveling along the turf for a teammate to strike, or a whipped cross intended for a specific run. The quality of a voorzet—its height, pace, and precise targeting—greatly influences the probability of scoring.

In Dutch football culture, delivering effective voorzetten is considered a key attacking skill. Wingers and full-backs are frequently evaluated on their ability to generate scoring chances through accurate voorzetten, and coaches emphasize timing and movement to maximize their effectiveness.

Etymology and usage: the word combines voor- meaning "in front" and zet, from zetten "to place or to set", reflecting its function as a forward pass into the attacking area. The term is primarily used in football commentary and coaching rather than everyday language.

Related concepts include the cross in football; similar terms exist in other languages to describe similar crosses from the wings into the box.