Discussing soccer – IELTS Speaking example & vocabulary

Common vocabulary in the topic of Discussing soccer 

• Attacker (n): Tiền đạo – A player whose primary role is to score goals.

E.g.: Ronaldo is a skilled attacker.

• Captain (n): Đội trưởng – The player who leads the team on the field.

E.g.: Messi is the captain of Barcelona.

• Cleats (n): Giày đinh – Shoes with studs or cleats on the bottom that provide traction on the field. 

E.g.: He wore his new cleats for the game.

• Counterattack (n): Phản công – A quick offensive play in response to an opponent’s attack

E.g.: The team scored a goal after a successful counterattack.

• Defender (n): Hậu vệ – A player whose primary role is to prevent the opposing team from scoring.

E.g.: Ramos is a skilled defender.

• Dribble (v): Kéo bóng – To move the ball forward with small taps of the feet.

E.g.: He dribbled past two defenders.

• Foul (n): Lỗi – A violation of the rules of the game.

E.g.: The referee called a foul for the handball.

• Formation (n): Hình thức đội hình – The arrangement of players on the field.

E.g.: The team played in a 4-4-2 formation.

• Forward (n): Tiền đạo – A player who plays in an offensive position.

E.g.: Neymar is a talented forward.

• Goalkeeper (n): Thủ môn – The player who defends the goal and prevents the opposing team from scoring.

E.g.: Buffon is a great goalkeeper.

• Header (n): Đánh đầu – A technique of hitting the ball with the head.

E.g.: He scored a goal with a powerful header.

• Kickoff (n): Sút phạt – The start of the game, where one team kicks the ball to the other.

E.g.: The team won the kickoff and started the game.

• Midfielder (n): Tiền vệ – A player who plays in the middle of the field and transitions between offense and defense.

E.g.: Modric is an excellent midfielder.

• Offside (adj): Việt vị – A rule where a player is in an illegal position when they are closer to the opponent’s goal than the ball and the second-last defender.

E.g.: The referee called offside on the player.

• Penalty (n): Phạt đền – A free kick awarded to a team when a foul occurs inside the opponent’s penalty area.

E.g.: The team scored a goal from a penalty kick.

• Pitch (n): Sân bóng – The playing surface where the game is played.

E.g.: The pitch was in excellent condition.

• Referee (n): Trọng tài – The official who enforces therules of the game.

E.g.: The referee gave a yellow card to the player for a foul.

• Score (v): Ghi bàn – To make a goal.

E.g.: The team scored two goals in the second half.

• Shoot (v): Sút – To kick the ball towards the opponent’s goal.

E.g.: He shot the ball from outside the penalty area.

• Tackle (v): Phá bóng – To try to take the ball away from an opponent by using one’s feet.

E.g.: He made a great tackle to win the ball.

• Teammate (n): Đồng đội – A member of the same team.

E.g.: He passed the ball to his teammate.

• Throw-in (n): Ném biên – A method of restarting the game when the ball goes out of bounds on the sideline.

E.g.: The player took the throw-in and passed the ball to his teammate.

• Touchline (n): Đường biên – The line marking the boundary of the field.

E.g.: The ball went out of bounds on the touchline.

• Training (n): Huấn luyện – Practice sessions to improve skills and teamwork.

E.g.: The team had a training session in the morning.

• Uniform (n): Đồng phục – The clothing worn by players during the game.

E.g.: The team wore blue and white uniforms.

• Volley (n): Đá bồi – A technique of hitting the ball in mid-air, usually with a full swing of the foot. 

E.g.: He scored a spectacular goal with a volley.

• Wall (n): Tường phòng ngự – A line of defenders who stand close together to block a free kick or penalty kick.

E.g.: The team set up a wall to defend the free-kick.

• Yellow card (n): Thẻ vàng – A warning card given to a player for a minor offense.

E.g.: The referee showed a yellow card to the player for unsportsmanlike conduct.

• Zonal marking (n): Phòng ngự khu vực – A defensive strategy where defenders are responsible for a specific area of the field rather than marking individual players.

E.g.: The team used a zonal marking system to defend against set-pieces.

• 90 minutes (n): 90 phút – The length of a standard football game.

E.g.: The game ended after 90 minutes of play.

Sample IELTS Speaking part 1: Discussing football 

Join us in listening to Podcast Part 1 example from Mytour:

Do you enjoy football?

Yes, I love football. It’s exciting to watch and play and requires a lot of skill. I like the strategic moves of the players and the thrill of seeing a goal. Playing football is a great way to stay active and healthy, as it requires physical exertion that can help improve cardiovascular health and build strength and endurance.

• Skill (n): Kỹ năng
• Strategic (adj): Chiến lược
• Goal (n): Bàn thắng
• Physical exertion (n): Sự vận động thể chất
• Cardiovascular health (n): Sức khỏe tim mạch
• Strength (n): Sức mạnh
• Endurance (n): Sức chịu đựng

Have you participated in any football matches before?

I have played in a few football matches before. I used to play on a local community team when I was younger, and we would have games against other teams in the area. It was always a lot of fun to compete and test my skills against other players. I especially enjoyed playing as an attacker and trying to score goals, although I also had to be mindful of my defensive responsibilities.

• Community (n): Cộng đồng
• Compete (v): Cạnh tranh
• Attacker (n): Tiền đạo
• Defensive (adj): Phòng ngự

Is football widely liked in your country?

This sport is incredibly popular in my country, I must say. It’s one of the most widely played and watched sports here, and people of all ages and backgrounds enjoy it. We have several professional football leagues and many amateur teams as well. The national team is also highly regarded and has achieved a lot of success in international competitions. Football is such a big part of our culture that it’s not uncommon to see people playing pickup games in parks or on the street.

• Widely (adv): Rộng rãi
• Professional (adj): Chuyên nghiệp
• Amateur (adj): Nghiệp dư
• National team (n): Đội tuyển quốc gia
• Success (n): Thành công 
• Pickup game (n): Trò chơi tập thể không chính thức

IELTS Speaking Example Part 2: Discussing football 

Describe a football match that you remembered well.

You are expected to say:

• Where it took place
• What happened
• Who the winner was

And the reasons for your interest in it.

Listen to the sample Podcast Part 2 from Mytour:

One football match that I remember well was the final of the World Cup in 2014, which took place in Brazil. The match was between Germany and Argentina, and it was held at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

The game was very tense and closely contested, with both teams having several chances to score throughout the match. However, it wasn’t until the second half of extra time that Germany finally managed to break the deadlock with a goal from Mario Götze. Argentina tried to equalize in the remaining minutes, but they were unable to do so, and the match ended with a score of 1-0 in favourate of Germany.

I was very interested in this match because it was the final of the World Cup, which is one of the biggest sporting events in the world. It was also a very exciting and well-played game, with both teams showing a lot of skill and determination. I was rooting for Germany, so I was thrilled when they scored the winning goal in extra time. It was a memorable and thrilling football match that I won’t forget anytime soon.

• Final (n): Chung kết
• World Cup (n): World Cup – cúp bóng đá thế giới
• Tense (adj): căng thẳng
• Contested (adj): Cạnh tranh
• Break the deadlock (v): Phá vỡ thế bế tắc
• Equalize (v): Cân bằng
• Determination (n): Quyết tâm
• Rooting for (v): Cổ vũ (cho ai đó)
• Memorable (adj): Đáng nhớ
• Thrilling (adj): Kịch tính

IELTS Speaking Example Part 3: Discussing football 

Join us in listening to Mytour's Sample Podcast Part 3:

What are the benefits of playing football?

Playing football has many advantages, including improving cardiovascular fitness, building strength and coordination, and developing teamwork and communication skills. It’s also a great way to build social connections and develop important life skills such as leadership, discipline, and perseverance.

• Cardiovascular fitness (n): Sức khỏe tim mạch
• Coordination (n): Sự phối hợp
• Teamwork (n): Làm việc nhóm
• Communication (n): Giao tiếp
• Social connections (n): Mối quan hệ xã hội
• Leadership (n): Lãnh đạo
• Discipline (n): Kỷ luật
• Perseverance (n): Kiên trì

Do you believe that international football tournaments should continue?

Yes, I think so. These tournaments are a great way to bring people from different countries together and promote cultural exchange and understanding. They also provide a platform for some of the world’s best football players to showcase their skills and compete at the highest level. I believe that international football tournaments are an important and valuable aspect of global sports culture that should be continued and celebrated.

• Tournaments (n): Giải đấu
• Cultural exchange (n): Trao đổi văn hóa
• Understanding (n): Hiểu biết
• Showcase (v): Trưng bày
• Compete (v): Cạnh tranh
• Sports culture (n): Văn hóa thể thao

What is the most effective method to become a top football player?

• Talent (n): Tài năng
• Technical skills (n): Kỹ năng kỹ thuật
• Physical fitness (n): Thể lực 
• Mental toughness (n): Sức mạnh tinh thần
• Discipline (n): Kỷ luật
• Environment (n): Môi trường