What does 'cap' mean in football/soccer?

A “cap” means a player has been called up to their national side. The term refers to the awarding of a cap to each player named to the side. Some countries, particularly England, still observe this custom. read more

When a player represents their national team they are actually given a commemorative cap, similar to a baseball cap but with cloth over it and a tassle on top. The cap will have the information of the game sown in to it. read more

It stems from the old days when the players were issued commemorative "caps" for the game; the term has simply continued, although the actual caps are no longer provided to the players. See related link, "International cap", for a photo of a cap.. read more

The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap (meaning an item of headgear) to every player in an international match of Association Football; however, the act of awarding a cap is now international and is applied to other sports. read more