Sports Words: Team, Goal, Match

The essential football vocabulary you need to watch the World Cup.

Before the Match Begins

Before a big football match, people from many countries come to the city. The two teams arrive at the stadium, which is a very large building with seats for thousands of fans. Each team has eleven players on the field, and they wear different colored shirts so people can see who is on each side. The match starts when the referee blows the whistle, and the players chase the ball up and down the green grass. The fans in the seats shout and sing to support their favorite team.

During the Match

A football match has two halves, and each half is 45 minutes long. The main aim of the game is to score a goal by kicking the ball into the other team's net. When a player scores, his team gets one point, and the score changes on the big screen in the stadium. The referee watches the match carefully and uses the whistle to stop the game if someone breaks the rules. Sometimes a player falls down, and the team doctor runs onto the field to help.

At the End of the Match

At the end of the match, one team can win, one team can lose, or the match can be a draw. A draw happens when both teams finish with the same score, like 2-2. After the match, the coach talks to the players about what they did well and what they can improve next time. The fans in the stadium clap for their team, even if their team does not win. Some very happy fans celebrate for hours after the final whistle.

Watching from Home

Many people around the world cannot go to the stadium, so they watch the match on TV at home. They sit on the sofa with their family and friends, and they cheer when their team scores a goal. When their team wins, they jump up and down and shout with joy. When their team loses, they feel sad, but they know there is always the next match to enjoy. Football fans are very passionate, and the World Cup is the biggest match of all.