Mugged

[Kontol]

The verb "mug" means to attack a person in a public place and steal their money. In football context, I believe it means to steal the ball, not attack the player. Is it right?

85 min Villa 2 Everton 0
Onana, not up to speed understandably, dawdles in midfield and is mugged by Buendia who brings the ball forward, Watkins takes a defender with him as he splits to the right, receives the pass and rolls it back across for Buendia to slot in.

 

[emsr2d2]

In general, players don't attack other players during a game of football (well, if you're Crystal Palace ...). It appears the writer/speaker has used "mugged" to refer to the tackle in which Buendia "stole" the ball.

BrE uses "mug" to mean "idiot" so it's just possible they're suggesting that Onana was taken for a fool and had the ball stolen from him easily. He was, after all, dawdling in midfield.

 

[Kontol]

Your explanation is very clear. Thanks a lot.

 

[Kontol]

Oh yeah, I sometimes hear the commentator say "mug a player". I think it's kind of strange. For example:

Cristiano Ronaldo mugs Harry Kane. So this means Ronaldo steals Kane. Does the commetator/writer omits "the ball?" It should be "Ronaldo mugs the ball off Kane".

 

[jutfrank]

It means that Buendia aggressively took the ball from Onana.

The verb mug means something like 'aggressively take something from someone's possession'. In football, the 'something' is the ball.