Easy: Dribble

Premier Vocabulary is a mini-podcast for you to learn football English one word at a time. We have three different levels for you: easy, medium and hard.

This episode is easy so we’re looking at common football words and phrases. Things you use and need to know to play the game.

Summary

Learn more football vocabulary with Premier Skills English. Each lesson in our Premier Vocabulary section looks at one football word or phrase. This lesson looks at the word dribble. 

You can find more lessons on the side of this page.

Transcript

Rich: Hello my name’s Rich and welcome to Premier Skills English - Premier Vocabulary.

Jack: Hi there! I’m Jack. We’re here to help you with your football English. Premier Vocabulary is a mini-podcast for you to learn football English one word at a time. 

Rich: We have three different levels for you: easy, medium and hard.

Jack: This episode is easy so we’re looking at common football words and phrases; things you use and need to know to play the game.

Rich: The word we are looking at in this episode is dribble.

Jack: OK, dribble. Let’s start with what it means outside of football. Dribble is connected to liquid. A baby dribbles a lot.

Rich: Yes, babies can’t talk or walk but they can dribble. It describes the liquid - the saliva - that comes out of their mouths all the time and over their lips and down their chins.

Jack: Babies dribble a lot. It’s kind of cute and disgusting at the same time.

Rich: Maybe if you’re talking about your own kids!

Jack: So, to dribble or a dribble is connected to the accidental spillage of a liquid. Water might dribble down the side of a glass if it’s too full, you might dribble a bit of olive oil on your lap while you are pouring it on your salad.

Rich: When we talk about football, dribble has an entirely different meaning. On the pitch to dribble means to run with the ball at your feet.

Jack: Attacking players and wingers are the players who dribble with the ball most. They try to dribble past defenders.

Rich: You can go on a dribble. Players usually pass the ball to a teammate but they can decide to go on a dribble.

Jack: It’s probably one of the most exciting parts of the game - watching players dribble; watching Raheem Sterling or Sadio Mane running at defenders and dribbling with the ball.

Rich: A player who dribbles can be called a dribbler. I think there are fewer dribblers in the game than there used to be. Who do you think are some of the greatest dribblers?

Jack: There have been lots. It’d be easy to choose Diego Maradona or Lionel Messi but at the moment in the Premier League, I’d say Wolves’ Adama Traore and maybe Wilfrid Zaha at Crystal Palace. They are both fantastic dribblers.

Rich: There is the final whistle!

Jack: We’ll be back soon with more Premier Vocabulary from Premier Skills English.

Rich: Bye for now and enjoy your football. 

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Who is the best dribbler in the Premier League?