Sports: Talking about soccer (football) — ESL lesson

Soccer, known as football in many parts of the world, is a global sport that captivates millions of players and fans alike. Whether you’re kicking a ball on a local field or cheering for a favorite team, being able to talk about soccer in English is a valuable skill for language learners.

This guide is designed to help English language instructors teach beginners and intermediate learners how to discuss playing soccer effectively. It provides structured lessons for two levels: Basic, focusing on simple vocabulary and phrases for beginners, and Advanced, introducing more nuanced terms and complex sentence structures for intermediate learners.

The content includes essential vocabulary, practical phrases, and example conversations tailored to each level, along with teaching tips to engage learners. A comprehensive lesson plan combines both levels, incorporating visual aids, role-plays, and interactive activities to make learning engaging and culturally relevant.

By the end of the lessons, learners will be able to confidently talk about their soccer experiences, describe matches, and express opinions using appropriate language. This guide also addresses common mistakes, suggests homework, and offers strategies to adapt the material for diverse classroom settings, ensuring a dynamic and inclusive learning experience.

Basic level: Teaching how to talk about playing soccer

Start with simple, commonly used words related to playing soccer that beginners can easily understand and apply.

Basic vocabulary

• Soccer: The sport (also called football in many countries).
• Ball: The round object used in the game.
• Field/pitch: The area where soccer is played.
• Goal: The net where players try to score.
• Player: A person who plays soccer.
• Team: A group of players (e.g., 11 players per team).
• Match/game: A single soccer event.
• Score: The number of goals (e.g., 2-1).
• Kick: To hit the ball with your foot.
• Pass: To kick the ball to a teammate.
• Win/lose: To succeed or fail in a match.
• Practice: Training to improve skills.
• Coach: The person who trains the team.
• Fan: A supporter of a team or player.
• Uniform: The clothes worn during the game (e.g., jersey, shorts).

Teaching tips

• Use visuals like pictures of a soccer field, ball, or players to connect vocabulary to real contexts.
• Practice pronunciation of terms like “pitch” (PITCH) or “uniform” (YOO-ni-form).
• Create flashcards with words on one side and images or definitions on the other for quick recall.

Basic phrases

Teach simple sentence structures for discussing playing soccer. These should be easy to adapt for beginners.

Key phrases

1. Talking about playing soccer
   • “I play soccer with my friends.”
   • “My favorite sport is soccer.”
   • “I’m on a soccer team.”
   • “We practice on the [field/park].”
2. Describing the game
   • “It’s a fun/exciting sport.”
   • “I kick the ball to score goals.”
   • “The match is [short/long].”
   • “My team won/lost the game.”
3. Expressing opinions
   • “I like soccer because it’s [fun/fast].”
   • “My favorite player is [name].”
   • “I don’t like [losing/practicing] because it’s [hard/boring].”
4. Asking questions
   • “Do you play soccer?”
   • “What’s your favorite team?”
   • “Do you watch soccer games?”
   • “Who’s your favorite player?”

Teaching tips

• Write phrases on a board or handout and model their use (e.g., “I play soccer with my friends. It’s exciting!”).
• Have learners substitute their own teams or players into the phrases.
• Practice question forms to encourage interactive dialogue.

Basic example conversations

Provide short, realistic dialogues to model how to talk about playing soccer at a beginner level.

Conversation 1: Basic exchange

Anna: Do you play soccer, Tom?
Tom: Yes, I play with my friends.
Anna: Where do you play?
Tom: On a field near my house.
Anna: Is it fun?
Tom: Yes, it’s very fun!

Conversation 2: Adding details

Sara: Do you like soccer, Juan?
Juan: Yes, it’s my favorite sport! I’m on a team.
Sara: Cool! Do you practice a lot?
Juan: Yes, we practice every Saturday.
Sara: Who’s your favorite player?
Juan: Lionel Messi. He’s great!

Teaching tips

• Role-play these dialogues with the learner, switching roles to practice asking and answering.
• Encourage learners to adapt the dialogues using their own experiences (e.g., their team or favorite player).
• In group settings, pair students to practice, prompting them to ask at least one follow-up question.

Advanced level: Teaching how to talk about playing soccer

Introduce more specific and nuanced words related to soccer for intermediate learners to discuss the sport in greater detail.

Advanced vocabulary

• Goalkeeper: The player who protects the goal.
• Striker: A player whose main job is to score goals.
• Midfielder: A player who controls the middle of the field.
• Defender: A player who prevents the other team from scoring.
• Dribble: To move the ball with small kicks while controlling it.
• Tackle: To try to take the ball from an opponent.
• Penalty: A free shot at the goal due to a rule violation.
• Yellow card: A yellow card is a caution issued for less severe offenses. (See the appendix if you need further explanation of a yellow or red card.)
• Red card: A red card results in the player’s immediate ejection from the match for a serious offense, and their team must play with one fewer player.
• Offside: A rule where a player is too close to the opponent’s goal without the ball.
• Referee: The official who enforces the rules of the game.
• Tournament: A series of matches to determine a winner.

Teaching tips

• Use videos or diagrams of a soccer game to show positions like “goalkeeper” or actions like “dribble.”
• Practice pronunciation of terms like “midfielder” (MID-feel-der) or “penalty” (PEN-ul-tee).
• Create a matching game where learners pair advanced words with their roles or actions (e.g., “striker” with “scores goals”).

Advanced phrases

Teach more complex sentence structures for discussing soccer, suitable for intermediate learners to add depth to their conversations.

Key phrases

1. Talking about playing soccer
   • “I’ve been playing soccer for [number] years.”
   • “I play as a [position, e.g., striker] on my team.”
   • “We competed in a tournament last month.”
   • “I’m training to improve my [skill, e.g., dribbling].”
2. Describing the game
   • “The match was intense because [reason].”
   • “The referee gave a penalty for [reason].”
   • “Our team played well, but we were offside once.”
   • “The striker scored an amazing goal.”
3. Expressing opinions
   • “I think [team/player] is the best because [reason].”
   • “Playing soccer helps me [stay fit/work as a team].”
   • “I don’t like [aspect, e.g., tackling] because it’s [reason].”
   • “Watching [team] in a tournament is exciting.”
4. Asking questions
   • “What position do you play in soccer?”
   • “Have you ever watched a professional soccer match?”
   • “What do you think of [player/team]’s performance?”
   • “How do you improve your soccer skills?”

Teaching tips

• Model advanced phrases with examples (e.g., “I play as a midfielder. It’s challenging but fun.”).
• Encourage learners to use specific details, like their position or a recent match.
• Practice forming complex questions to promote deeper discussions.

Advanced example conversations

Provide more detailed dialogues to model how to talk about playing soccer at an intermediate level.

Conversation 1: Detailed exchange

Mark: Hey, Lisa, do you play soccer?
Lisa: Yes, I’ve been playing for three years. I’m a striker.
Mark: That’s cool! Do you score a lot of goals?
Lisa: I try! Last match, I scored one, but we lost 2-1.
Mark: Oh, tough game. Do you practice a lot?
Lisa: Yes, we train twice a week to work on dribbling and passing.

Conversation 2: More advanced

Sara: Juan, have you ever played in a soccer tournament?
Juan: Yes, last month my team was in a local tournament.
Sara: How did it go?
Juan: It was intense! I’m a midfielder, so I had to pass and tackle a lot. We won one match, but the referee gave a penalty against us in the final.
Sara: That sounds exciting! Who’s your favorite professional player?
Juan: I love watching Neymar. His dribbling skills are amazing.

Teaching tips

• Role-play these dialogues, emphasizing natural intonation and detailed responses.
• Encourage learners to incorporate advanced vocabulary (e.g., “penalty,” “midfielder”) into their dialogues.
• In group settings, have students create their own dialogues about a specific soccer experience.

Teaching strategy (Combined for basic and advanced)

Here’s a step-by-step lesson plan to teach both levels effectively (approximately 60 minutes to cover both):

Step 1: Warm-up (5 minutes)

• Ask: “Do you like soccer? Do you play or watch it?” to spark interest.
• Show a short video clip or image of a soccer match and describe it (e.g., “This is a soccer game. Players kick the ball to score goals.”).

Step 2: Vocabulary introduction (15 minutes)

• Basic (7 minutes): Present the basic vocabulary list using visuals (e.g., a soccer field or ball). Practice pronunciation and play a quick game: Say a word (e.g., “goal”), and learners name a related word (e.g., “kick”).
• Advanced (8 minutes): Introduce advanced vocabulary with a diagram of player positions or a video clip showing actions like “dribbling” or “tackling.” Practice pronunciation and match terms to their meanings.

Step 3: Phrase practice (15 minutes)

• Basic (7 minutes): Display basic phrases and model them (e.g., “I play soccer with my friends. It’s fun.”). Have learners practice by filling in blanks (e.g., “My favorite sport is ____.”).
• Advanced (8 minutes): Display advanced phrases and model them (e.g., “I play as a defender. I’m good at tackling.”). Have learners practice with specific details (e.g., their position or a match).

Step 4: Conversation practice (20 minutes)

• Basic (10 minutes): Read a basic conversation aloud, emphasizing natural tone. Pair learners (or role-play) to practice, encouraging personalization (e.g., their favorite team).
• Advanced (10 minutes): Read an advanced conversation, focusing on detailed responses. Have learners practice and create their own dialogues using advanced vocabulary.

Step 5: Wrap-up and personalization (5 minutes)

• Have each learner share one or two sentences about soccer (basic: “I play soccer. It’s fun”; advanced: “I’m a goalkeeper, and I practice stopping penalties.”).
• Provide feedback on vocabulary and phrase use.
• Assign homework: Write 3-5 sentences about playing or watching soccer (basic) or a recent match/tournament (advanced).

Additional tips

• Cultural sensitivity: Recognize that soccer may be called “football” in some cultures. Discuss regional terms if relevant, and allow learners to share local soccer traditions.
• Visual aids: Use images or videos of soccer games, player positions, or equipment to make the lesson engaging.
• Listening practice: Play a short audio or video clip (e.g., from YouTube or ESL resources) of someone discussing soccer to expose learners to different accents.
• Adapt for level: Ensure beginners stick to simple vocabulary and phrases, while intermediate learners use advanced terms and more complex sentences.
• Incorporate technology: If teaching online, share a screen with a soccer match clip or use a virtual whiteboard to highlight vocabulary.

Common mistakes to address

• Grammar: Beginners may say “I play soccer with friends” instead of “I play soccer with my friends.” Emphasize possessive pronouns. Advanced learners may struggle with past tense (e.g., “We win” instead of “We won”). Review verb forms.
• Pronunciation: Terms like “goal” or “referee” (REF-uh-ree) may be mispronounced. Practice these explicitly.
• Word choice: Clarify “match” (a single game) vs. “tournament” (a series of games) for advanced learners.

Example activity: “Soccer scenario”

For group classes, try this interactive activity.

• Give each learner a card with a scenario (e.g., “You’re a striker in a match. Describe what you did.” or “You watched a soccer game. Talk about the score.”).
• Learners share their scenario using appropriate vocabulary and phrases, while others ask questions (e.g., “Did you score a goal?” or “Was the referee fair?”).

Homework or follow-up

• Writing:
  • Basic: Write 3-5 sentences about why you like soccer or a time you played.
  • Advanced: Write a short paragraph about a soccer match you played or watched, using at least 5 advanced vocabulary words.
• Speaking: Record a 30-second audio or video describing your soccer experience (basic: favorite team; advanced: your role in a match).
• Research: Find a picture or video of a soccer game and describe it in 2-3 sentences in English.

Appendix

Yellow card

A yellow card is a caution issued for less severe offenses. It serves as a warning, and a player receiving two yellow cards in a single match is shown a red card and sent off. Common reasons for a yellow card include:

1. Unsporting behavior: Actions like diving, simulation, or taunting opponents.
2. Dissent: Arguing with or showing disrespect toward the referee’s decisions.
3. Persistent infringement: Repeatedly committing minor fouls after warnings.
4. Deliberate delaying of the game: Tactics like time-wasting (e.g., slow throw-ins or kicking the ball away).
5. Failing to respect the distance: Not retreating the required distance (e.g., 10 yards) during free kicks or throw-ins.
6. Entering or leaving the field without permission: Unauthorized entry or exit during play.
7. Reckless play: Challenges or tackles that are careless but not dangerous enough for a red card.

Red card

A red card results in the player’s immediate ejection from the match, and their team must play with one fewer player. It is issued for serious offenses, either as a direct red card or after a second yellow card. Reasons for a direct red card include:

1. Serious foul play: Dangerous tackles or challenges with excessive force, especially those endangering an opponent’s safety (e.g., a studs-up tackle).
2. Violent conduct: Acts of aggression, such as punching, kicking, or headbutting, whether on or off the ball.
3. Spitting: Spitting at an opponent, referee, or anyone else.
4. Denying a goal-scoring opportunity: Intentionally fouling an opponent who has a clear chance to score, often in the penalty area (e.g., pulling down a player on a breakaway).
5. Offensive, insulting, or abusive language or gestures: Directed at players, officials, or spectators.
6. Receiving a second yellow card: Accumulating two cautions in the same match.

Consequences

• Yellow Card: A caution; two in one match equals a red card. In many competitions, accumulating yellow cards over multiple matches (e.g., 5 in a season) may lead to a suspension.
• Red Card: Immediate ejection and a ban for the next match(es), depending on the competition’s rules and the severity of the offense.