Football is the world's most popular sport. Millions of fans watch matches every week and support their favorite teams. If you enjoy football, learning some basic vocabulary can help you understand commentators, news articles, and conversations with other fans.
Every player has a different role:
goalkeeper → arquero
defender → defensor
midfielder → mediocampista
striker → delantero
captain → capitán
substitute → suplente
Match Vocabulary
match / game → partido
kickoff → saque inicial
group stage → fase de grupos
quarter-finals → cuartos de final
semi-finals → semifinales
final → final
champion → campeón
trophy → trofeo
Important Actions
Players can:
score a goal → marcar un gol
miss a penalty → errar un penal
save a shot → atajar un remate
equalize → empatar el partido
receive a yellow card → recibir una tarjeta amarilla
be sent off → ser expulsado
Fans and Teams
home team → equipo local
away team → equipo visitante
fans / supporters → hinchas
home fans → hinchas locales
away fans → hinchas visitantes
Listen and complete the sentences with the missing words.
kick off – striker – goal – corner kick – bicycle kick – foul – yellow card – header
– handball – red card – substitution – penalty kick – extra time – goalkeeper – draw
First Half
Second Half
⚽ Listen Again – Complete with ONE Word
⚽ Complete using the verbs:
The blue team won the coin toss, so they got to __________ the game.
The midfielder passed the ball to the __________.
He dribbled through the defense and scored a beautiful __________.
The ball went out of bounds, so the blue team had a __________.
The player attempted a __________, but the ball hit the goal post.
Just before halftime, a green player committed a __________.
The referee showed the Green Team a __________.
Number 10 scored with an amazing __________.
At halftime, the score was 1-1, so the match was a __________.
The midfielder passed the ball to the __________.
He dribbled through the defense and scored a beautiful __________.
The ball went out of bounds, so the blue team had a __________.
The player attempted a __________, but the ball hit the goal post.
Just before halftime, a green player committed a __________.
The referee showed the Green Team a __________.
Number 10 scored with an amazing __________.
At halftime, the score was 1-1, so the match was a __________.
Second Half
First, the Green Team committed a __________.
Then number 6 made an illegal tackle and received a __________.
The injured player was replaced after the coach called for a __________.
Because the foul happened inside the penalty area, the blue team got a __________.
Regulation time ended and the game went into __________.
The __________ made two incredible saves in the final seconds.
Then number 6 made an illegal tackle and received a __________.
The injured player was replaced after the coach called for a __________.
Because the foul happened inside the penalty area, the blue team got a __________.
Regulation time ended and the game went into __________.
The __________ made two incredible saves in the final seconds.
⚽ Listen Again – Complete with ONE Word
The goalkeeper had no __________.
The ball hit the goal __________.
The stadium was going __________.
The player was ejected from the __________.
The goalkeeper saved the __________.
The final score was 2 __________ 1.
The ball hit the goal __________.
The stadium was going __________.
The player was ejected from the __________.
The goalkeeper saved the __________.
The final score was 2 __________ 1.
⚽ Complete using the verbs:
scored – passed – crossed – saved – committed – won – beat
The midfielder __________ the ball to the striker.
Number 10 __________ a goal with a header.
One player __________ a foul before halftime.
The goalkeeper __________ two shots in extra time.
The Blue Team __________ the match.
They __________ the Green Team 2-1.
Number 10 __________ a goal with a header.
One player __________ a foul before halftime.
The goalkeeper __________ two shots in extra time.
The Blue Team __________ the match.
They __________ the Green Team 2-1.
⚽ Football Results
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| win | ganar |
| lose | perder |
| draw | empatar |
| victory | triunfo / victoria |
| defeat | derrota |
Examples
- Argentina beat Mexico 2-0.
- France lost to Argentina on penalties.
- England and the USA drew 0-0.
🇦🇷 Argentina in Recent World Cups
| Year | Result |
|---|---|
| 1986 | Champions 🏆 |
| 1990 | Runner-up 🥈 |
| 2014 | Runner-up 🥈 |
| 2018 | Round of 16 |
| 2022 | Champions 🏆 |
⚽ Common Patterns
Team + beat + team + score
- Argentina beat Mexico 2-0.
- Argentina beat Poland 2-0.
- Argentina beat Croatia 3-0.
Team + lost to + team + score
- Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia 2-1.
- Argentina lost to Germany 1-0.
Team + drew with + team + score
- Argentina drew with Iceland 1-1.
- Argentina drew with the Netherlands 2-2.
⚽ How to Read Scores
| Score | How to Say It |
|---|---|
| 1-0 | one nil |
| 2-0 | two nil |
| 2-1 | two one |
| 3-0 | three nil |
| 3-1 | three one |
| 4-1 | four one |
| 1-1 | one all |
| 2-2 | two all |
Examples
- Argentina won one nil.
- Brazil won three one.
- France lost four one.
⚽ Practice 1 – Complete with the Correct Score
Choose:
1-0 | 1-1 | 2-1 | 2-0 | 3-0 | 4-3
- Argentina drew with Iceland __________.
- Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia __________.
- Argentina beat Mexico __________.
- Argentina beat Belgium __________.
- Argentina beat Croatia __________.
- Argentina lost to France in 2018 __________.
⚽ Practice 2 – Argentina in Recent World Cups
Complete the sentences with:
beat – lost to – drew with – victory – defeat – won – eliminated
World Cup 2014
- Argentina __________ Belgium 1-0 in the quarter-finals.
- Argentina reached the final but __________ Germany 1-0 after extra time.
- The final against Germany ended in __________ for Argentina.
World Cup 2018
- Argentina __________ Iceland 1-1 in the group stage.
- Argentina were __________ by France after losing 4-3 in the Round of 16.
World Cup 2022
- Argentina surprisingly __________ Saudi Arabia 2-1 in their opening match.
- Argentina __________ Mexico 2-0.
- Argentina __________ Croatia 3-0 in the semi-finals.
- Argentina finally __________ the World Cup after beating France on penalties.
- The victory against France became one of the greatest __________ in Argentine football history.
Answer Key
- beat
- lost to
- defeat
- drew with
- eliminated
- lost to
- beat
- beat
- won
- victories
Note: In sentence 10, victories (plural) sounds more natural than victory because we are talking about "one of the greatest victories in Argentine football history." ⚽🇦🇷
