“第12名隊員”用來統指足球隊的球迷。足球隊上場比賽的隊員是11名，但是，如果現場球迷支持的呼聲很高的話，他們支持的.球隊可能會更加鬥誌昂揚。
在這種情況下，現場球迷就被稱為“第12名隊員”——他們的存在就相當於給球隊增加了壹名比賽隊員，那麽場上就是11人對12人了。很多球隊都把自己的球迷稱為“第12名隊員”，球迷自己也會在比賽現場打出橫幅，自稱是“第12名隊員”。
The term “twelfth man” is used to refer to the fans of a football team. Each team in football has 11 players on the pitch, but if the fans are particularly loud in their support they can help their team, they can encourage them.
When this happens the fans are called the twelfth man – they have the effect of an extra player: the game is now 11 vs 12. Many teams refer to their fans as the 12th man, and fans themselves will also carry banners calling themselves the 12th man.