TSaveCulture1 9/2/05 5:03 pm Page 24

TIMESAVER CUSTOMS & LIFESTYLE IN THE UK & IRELAND Sport

Football fun
Read the facts about football and write these headings in the correct places.

Pub football English rules! We are the

champions!
Sex symbol It’s old!
It’s popular!
1 ................................................................................................................... 4 ...................................................................................................................

Richard II banned* the game in the 14th century There are more than 50,000 football clubs in the UK.
because it was so dangerous. Football became* really Over 240 million people in more than 200 countries
popular in the 19th century. play football just for fun! More people
watch football matches in football
stadiums* or on TV.

2 ................................................................................................................... 5 ...................................................................................................................

English fans* remember when A new British

England were the champions in tradition is watching
the World Cup at Wembley in important matches
1966. In the 2004 World Cup, at the pub on
millions of English people put big screens.
the St George’s flag on their
cars. But they didn’t win!

3 ................................................................................................................... 6 ...................................................................................................................

George Best was the Although it’s an international game, England made the
world’s first football sex rules. That’s why football pitches all over the world are
symbol* in the 1960s! measured in yards and not metres.
David Beckham, an English
player, is a fashion icon*
all over the world.

24 TIMESAVER CUSTOMS & LIFESTYLE IN THE UK & IRELAND © MARY GLASGOW MAGAZINES, AN IMPRINT OF SCHOLASTIC INC.
TSaveCulture1 9/2/05 5:03 pm Page 25

TIMESAVER CUSTOMS & LIFESTYLE IN THE UK & IRELAND Sport

Play the game and find the name of an English football player. Circle the coordinates*
next to the correct ending of each sentence and find the letters on the football pitch.

A B C D E
1 The score is …
M E the points per team. 2B
1 T A the number of players. 1E

N 2 The goalkeeper …
is the manager. 1A
W B stops goals*. 1E

2 3 A pitch is …
the playing field. 4D
S E the first kick of the ball. 5A
O

C 4 A team has …
O
eleven players. 5A
3 D twenty-two players. 2C
L
I 5 The kick off is …
the first kick of the match. 7E
N the last kick of the match. 3C
4 J
P 6 The referee …
H Y takes the tickets. 4A
controls* the game. 6D

U 7 Training means …
A
5 exercise and practice. 2D
D travelling to the match. 6B
N G
8 Half time is …
B S the score after 45 minutes. 8A
I
a break* after 45 minutes
6 W of play. 3A
R
9 Fans are …
Y air-conditioning*. 6B
T E
N the followers* of a team. 1A
7
10 To chant means …
P to sing a special football song. 2E
to lose a match. 6D
C Y
N 11 The coach …
8 pays all the players. 8B
F
A trains the players. 8C

The player is …
1__ 2__ 3__ 4__ 5__ 6__ 7__ 8__ 9__ 10__ 11__ ,
the youngest footballer to score for England. * What is it in your language?
Who are your favourite football teams and players? Find out!

TIMESAVER CUSTOMS & LIFESTYLE IN THE UK & IRELAND © MARY GLASGOW MAGAZINES, AN IMPRINT OF SCHOLASTIC INC. 25