World Cup football stuff – including 110 all-skills lessons
The World Cup – The biggest sports spectacle in the world. Bigger than the Olympics. Bigger than a president’s inauguration. Bigger than The Simpsons. It’s the FIFA Soccer World Cup.
64 match report lessons – one for every game played (9 pages each, plus listening)
http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/world_cup_news_2010/front.html
44 other lessons I made for the World Cup
Before proceeding with the post, some World Cup materials for your classes:
32 nine-page handouts, plus listening, plus online activities for each of the 32 teams at the World Cup at http://www.listenaminute.com
Spain Win the 2010 FIFA World Cup – A 13-page intermediate news lesson.
Germans Want Revenge on Paul the World Cup Octopus - An 11-page pre-intermediate news lesson.
2010 South Africa World Cup – a 9-page one-minute listening lesson.
World Cup Just for the Rich? – An 11-page pre-intermediate news lesson.
World Cup Insured for $9 Billion – A 13-page intermediate news lesson.
English Soccer Boss in World Cup Scandal – A 13-page intermediate news lesson.
Baboons a 2010 Soccer World Cup Problem – A 13-page intermediate news lesson.
Football – A 9-page listening lesson.
Lionel Messi Biography – A 14-page all-skills lesson.
Wayne Rooney Biography – A 14-page all-skills lesson.
Christiano Ronaldo Biography – A 14-page all-skills lesson.
David Beckham Biography – A 14-page all-skills lesson.
There will be a daily round-up (graded at pre-int / int level) of the tournament – again, 9 pages, listening, online stuff… at http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com – At least I hope to do this.
Larry Ferlazzo has the biggest list of World Cup resources I’ve ever seen. You’re spoilt for choice here.
Worth waiting for
It only comes around every four years but is definitely worth waiting for. This time it’s in South Africa – the first African nation to get the event.
What makes it so special? The beautiful game… the passion… the players… the goals… the action… the drama… the joy… the heartache… the English….
The English?
Well this is a blog for teachers of English and the language is an important part of this world sporting festival. In Japan, I loved listening to the Japanese commentators infusing hybrid English compounds into their stream of Japanese. My fave was “nice heading shooto” (nice header). The upcoming tournament will be my second in the UAE.
Some quotes on why football is the greatest game on Earth
Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I’m very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.
Bill Shankly – One of Liverpool Football Club’s most successful managers
I fell in love with football as I would later fall in love with women: suddenly, uncritically, giving no thought to the pain it would bring.
Opening sentence from book “Fever Pitch,” written by Nick Hornby
An artist, in my eyes, is someone who can lighten up a dark room. I have never and will never find any difference between the pass from Pele to Carlos Alberto in the final of the World Cup in 1970 and the poetry of the young Rimbaud, who stretches cords from steeple to steeple and garlands from window to window. There is in each of these human manifestations an expression of beauty which touches us and gives us a feeling of eternity.
Eric Cantona – Legendary France international and Manchester United maestro
Some English football terms used as everyday idioms for your students
- kick it into touch (cancel something or say no to something)
- score an own goal (make a problem for yourself)
- moved the goalposts (made unfair changes without warning)
- let the side down (do badly so your team loses)
- what time’s kick off (when does the party / meeting / wedding… start?)
- give it your best shot (try your hardest)
20 items of World Cup trivia
- Protocol dictates that only heads of state and tournament winners are allowed to touch the World Cup trophy.
- World football’s governing body FIFA claimed a combined world audience of 26.3 billion TV viewers for the 2006 tournament, with 400 million watching the final.
- South American and European countries have won the World Cup 9 times each. No other continent has produced a World Cup champion.
- The winners since 1962 are from: South America (Brazil – 1962), Europe (England – 1966), South America (Brazil – 1970), Europe (West Germany – 1974), South America (Argentina – 1978), Europe (Italy – 1982), South America (Argentina – 1986), Europe (Germany – 1990), South America (Brazil – 1994), Europe (France – 1998), South America (Brazil – 2002) and Europe (Italy – 2006). This means in 2010 the winner will be from South America?
- Out of the 19 World Cups so far, 6 have been won by the host country.
- No European team has won a World Cup played outside of Europe.
- The highest attendance at a World Cup match was 199,854 at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro in 1950 for the game between Uruguay and Brazil.
- Brazil are the only country to have appeared in every Finals – 19 tournaments from 1930 to 2010.
- The most common score in a World Cup finals match is 1-0 (18%).
- Gonzalez / Gonzales is the most common surname of World Cup players – 17.
- In 1930, the ‘football-crazy’ King Carol II of Romania personally selected the national team. He also asked their employers to give each player a three-month leave with full pay.
- The trophy was stolen while on exhibition in London just before kick-off of the 1966 finals. It was found hidden in a garden in South London.
- The term ‘group of death’ was first used by the Mexican press to describe Group 3 at the 1970 tournament. The four teams were England (reigning champions), Brazil (champions in 1958 & 1962), Czechoslovakia (finalists 1962) and Romania.
- Norman Whiteside was the youngest player ever to play at a World Cup Finals. He was 17 years and 42 days old when he played for Northern Ireland in the 1982 World Cup.
- The quickest World Cup sending off was just 56 seconds. Jose Batista got sent off for Uruguay against Scotland in the 1986 World Cup Finals.
- The 2010 World Cup qualification consisted of 853 games, which produced 2,344 goals and saw 268 countries eliminated.
- A total of 2,063 goals have been scored in World Cup Finals. Brazil are the leading scorers with 201.
- The smallest attendance at a World Cup finals match was 300 at Romania and Peru during the 1930 World Cup in Uruguay.
- The Frenchman Just Fontaine holds the record for the most number of goals at the Finals. He scored 13 in 1958.
- The longest surname of a player at the Finals was that of Lefter Kucukandonyadis who played for Turkey in the 1954 Finals.
Tags: football, soccer, World Cup 2010
I’m always fascinated by differences between the Englishes. I’d never heard “kick it into touch” before, and I think we’d probably say “let your side down” rather “the” side over in the States. Thanks for the great trivia. I’m totally charmed by the story of the Bafokeng and their stadium; that will definitely make the trivia lists in years to come
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Sean,
I hope you can manage the late nights during the WC! Who’s your money on? Which team has your heart?
I’m hardly one for “team” sports. More of a player, less a watcher. However when the WC comes, I go crazy – it seems to matter.
I’ve had success in class playing simple “whiteboard soccer”. Just draw a pitch and divide the class into two. A magnet for a ball. If a team answers a question right, the ball advanced. 3 in a row and a goooooooooal. Simple but really works. Even better if Ss prepare the questions beforehand.
I’m betting on the Dutch. My heart is with S. Korea….
David
Thanks Anne for your comment. I wonder what American football terms are used in the rest of the world – “not in the same ball park” and “a ball-park figure” are the only ones I can think of.
Hi David – no late nights – We’re pretty much on the same time zone as S. Africa. I can watch every game after I get home from work and get to bed before midnight. Really looking forward to it. This will be my first World Cup since 1982 that I’ll be able to watch all of it. I’ve always been traveling or working the past seven.
My money’s on Brazil, Argentina, Italy, Spain, England or Germany. My heart’s with England, Japan and South Africa.
Every game will be great and I’m really looking forward to the surprises. I hope Messi shines.
It should be a tiring month – Enjoy
Yes, for me in Korea very tiring. Alas, I won’t be traveling – usually do the world cup with friends in Europe a kind of tradition. Doing research for a book so got to turn up the AC and just watch by my lonesome.
I forgot you aren’t in Japan! Perfect for you. I’m not so sure about Messi, he has a habit of not shining in the big moments but I do like the guy, a real character that deserves everything good he gets…..
Let’s hope this year an underdog goes far. Otherwise the same old Brazil – Italy – Germany thing gets tiring….
Been promoting all your fine resources and also been proud of how many teachers shared WC resources on my own community….must be the fever!
David
Hi Sean,
I’d tend to put those down to baseball, actually, as in “way out of the ballpark”.
to huddle = get together usually to discuss strategy
carry the ball = be responsible
score a touchdown = nail it
do an end run = go for gold by bypassing your superiors
be sidelined = be out of the game
first down, ten to go = we’ve completed something successfully and are on our way to the challenges that lie ahead
But I’m more into soccer than American football myself and will be watching as many World Cuo macthes as I can, too.
I saw Messi twice in the World Club Championship here in Abu Dhabi – He put in two special performances to help Barcelona win the title. He looked a big tournament player then. I’m really looking forward to seeing him play with Mascherano and Tevez. Underdogs are good but I never tire of Brazil winning – they have something special for me – almost like the Harlem Globetrotters cartoon I watched as a kid – pure skill and entertainment.
I’ll be joining you in pumping up the AC. It was 47 degrees today. Summer has nearly arrived
And thanks for promoting the resources – much appreciated.
Thanks for those Anne – Yes, I meant baseball when I mentioned the ballpark. Saw a few games while I was in Japan. I lived a stone’s throw from the most famous stadium in Japan – Koshien – home of the Hanshin Tigers. I had to walk through it every night on my way home from work – very interesting on game nights.
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Hi Sean
I love your lessons, thank you, I use them to teach English to new immigrants, a free service for the community. Mostly Koreans at the moment..
I read your blurb about the first NZ match and thought you’d be interested to know that the whole country went completely mad!! Now we’ve drawn with Italy I can’t imagine what we’ll do! People are staying up late (kick off 2am) and big screens everywhere – for a rugby nation it’s amazing.
Keep up the good work, much appreciated.
Thanks Sue – I hope the All Whites qualify.
Hi All! I’m from Uruguay and I can tell you the whole country is GOING CRAZY, we got world cup fever!! BAD!! it had been a while since we last made it and now we’re number 1 in group A!! who would’ve thought!?speaking of underdogs…you think we can make it? nahhh but we are enjoying it while it lasts!
Thanks for all the lessons you post Sean! LOVE THEM!!
Yes, congratulations to Uruguay on topping their group. Of course you can make it – Forlan and Suarez look on top form. You have S. Korea next and then probably Ghana in the quarter-finals, Brazil in the Semis and Argentina in the final.
… or it could be England in the final with you ?????
How did Nigeria loose so quickly. That was a fast exit. I believed that they had a solid opportunity to do well in this years world cup. Maybe next time. Maybe its time to jump on the Argentina bandwagon. Looks like Demichelis has already scored. Go Argentina.
Hello Sean
Thank you for all the lessons.
fussball cup…
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