A stubborn defence describes a team that is very difficult to break down, staying organised and resisting pressure for long periods of a game.
What does it mean?
‘Stubborn‘ usually means refusing to give up or change your mind, and here it’s used positively to describe a well-organised, disciplined defensive display. A closely related phrase is ‘a dogged display,’ where ‘dogged’ means determined and unwilling to give up despite difficulties.
Examples
- They needed a VAR-awarded penalty to finally break down the stubborn defence.
- It was a dogged display from the underdogs, who frustrated their more fancied opponents for long periods.
- ‘Kylian Mbappe scored from the penalty spot as France overcame searing heat and stubborn defence to beat Paraguay 1-0.’ (gulfnews.com)
Similar Words/Phrases
- A dogged display
- Well organised
- Difficult to break down
Learn More
- Listen to our podcast from Day 24 of the 2026 World Cup
- Translate it or use it in a sentence (on our forum)
- Listen to an explanation from a 2016 post on the phrase ‘break down a defence’
Related Glossary Terms
Categories: 2026 World Cup Phrases
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