﻿ ELLLO Views #1185 Football Culture
Views 1185 | Intermediate 5

Football Culture

Daniel and Valeria talk about how football is such an important part of their culture.

Daniel: Hey, Vale, how are you?

Valeria: Fine, and you, Daniel, how are you?

Daniel: Very well thanks. I have a question for you.

Valeria: OK, tell me.

Daniel: Since you're from Argentina, I'd have to ask you about soccer.

Valeria: Yes, sure. What do you want to know about soccer?

Daniel: Argentina is really famous for soccer.

Valeria: Right.

Daniel: Because I've seen it from the news but I don't have the feeling or I don't really know how Argentinian people live football.

Valeria: OK, let me tell you that for us, football is something like natural.

Daniel: What do you mean by that?

Valeria: It's like when especially if you are a boy, when you come back from school after having lunch what we do is like going with your friends to play soccer on the street.

Daniel: On the street?

Valeria: Yes. Like this, meaning that everybody has the experience of playing soccer.

Daniel: Yeah, I have it myself too. I used to do that when I was a kid.

Valeria: So meaning that in Chile it's kind of the same?

Daniel: Yeah, I think you, since you can run and kick the ball, I mean everyone practice football or soccer.

Valeria: How about the teams?

Daniel: What about them?

Valeria: How you choose a team in your country?

Daniel: That's, I think that's an issue. You have to choose just one team basically.

Valeria: What do you mean just one team?

Daniel: You can't support several teams, it's just one.

Valeria: I see and it should be the same through all your life or can we, or you can change?

Daniel: OK, you can change but it's not really, it's not allowed actually by your friends or your family.

Valeria: Sorry, does anybody change team?

Daniel: I've seen some people who have changed but they're not really like into soccer. If you're really into soccer you would never change it and not because of your group or not because of society, because if you're really into football that's if you choose a team, that's the team you support forever.

Valeria: Because in Argentina it is said there are two things that you cannot change, your mum and your team.

Daniel: OK, that's good.

Valeria: No matter how bad things are for your team, you have to support, you will support the same team all your life.

Daniel: Yeah, we don't have that saying in Chile but I think it's pretty much the same. You shouldn't change your team.

Learn Vocabulary from the Lesson



I think that's an issue.

Something that is an 'issue' is a problem. Notice the following:

  1. When you own an old house, there are many issues that you have to deal with.
  2. Public transportation is a really big issue around here.



If you choose a team, that's the team you support forever.

The team that you support is your favorite and you are a fan of that team. Notice the following:

  1. A lot of people supported the South African football team during the World Cup.
  2. Even though they live in the USA, they still support England for soccer teams.

it is said



'It is said' is a passive way to say 'people say.' Notice the following:

  1. It is said that eating oranges will help you avoid getting a cold.
  2. It is said that if you eat a lot of carrots, your vision will be good.

no matter how ...


No matter how bad things are for your team, you have to support the same team all your life.

You can use this phrase to show that regardless of the circumstances something will still happen. Notice the following:

  1. No matter how long we go without seeing each other, she is still one of my best friends.
  2. No matter how tired I am, I can always watch a movie.



We don't have that saying in Chile.

A 'saying' is a common phrase that is used among a group of people. Notice the following:

  1. That is a saying that my grandmother uses.
  2. Sayings are some of the most difficult parts to learn in a second language.


Vocabulary Quiz

issue • supports • is said
matter • saying
  1. It's always been an for him to arrive on time.
  2. His favorite is, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again."
  3. It that the older you get, the easier it is to forget things.
  4. No how far away she is, she still come home every Christmas.
  5. Even though she lives in a different city now, she still the basketball team from her hometown.
Answer the following questions about the interview.


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