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Hard: Genius

Hard: Genius

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 hard so we’re looking at more difficult football phrases and idioms. These phrases can be used to talk about football but are also useful when talking about other topics.

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 genius

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. 

Rich: Remember you can find transcripts for all of our podcasts on the Premier Skills English website.

Jack: 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 hard so we’re looking at more difficult football phrases and idioms. These phrases can be used to talk about football but are often useful when talking about other topics.


Rich: The phrase we are looking at in this episode is just a word and it’s: genius.

Jack: A genius is a person who has unusually high levels of intelligence, creativity or skill in a specific area.

Rich: Marie Curie and Albert Einstein are seen as geniuses in the field of physics.

Jack: William Shakespeare and Virginia Woolf are seen as geniuses in the field of literature.

Rich: And Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi were political geniuses in their fights for social justice.

Jack: The sporting world also has geniuses: Michael Jordan in basketball, Lewis Hamilton in F1, Tiger Woods in golf and Sachin Tendulkar in cricket.

Rich: A genius is very special and there are very few men and women that are classed as geniuses in their field. 

Jack: The football world said goodbye to one of the true geniuses of the game when Diego Maradona died at his home in Argentina this week.

Rich: Diego Maradona was one of the best if not the best footballer to ever play the game. He was a true genius on the football field.

Jack: He was described as a child genius when he was spotted by talent scouts at eight years old. He made his professional debut at just 15 and made his international debut for Argentina when he was just 16.

Rich: At times he was described as a tormented genius, a tortured genius and a flawed genius but when he stepped on the pitch nobody could stop him.

Jack: Maradona captained Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986. The goals he scored in that World Cup took Argentina to the trophy.

Rich: The goals he scored in that tournament were the works of genius. The goal against England when he dribbled past most of the team and then the goals against Belgium - strokes of genius both of them.

Jack: Maradona was and is a hero to millions at home in Argentina and across the world. A true genius on the football pitch and probably the best player to have ever played the game.


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. 

Discuss

Was Diego Maradona the best player ever?

Did you ever see Diego Maradona play?

Write your answers in the comments section below.

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Comentários

Rath6180's picture
Rath6180
23/11/2022
GB
759
points

I don't think so, maybe Pele or Ronaldo R9 is better. He was before my time.


Rath6180's picture
Rath6180
23/11/2022 09:59
United Kingdom
Liverpool
759

I don't think so, maybe Pele or Ronaldo R9 is better. He was before my time.

Michaelsun
14/03/2022
CN
738
points

I think Diego Maradona was the best player ever.


Michaelsun
14/03/2022 12:44
China
Manchester United
738

I think Diego Maradona was the best player ever.

Gabriel Amaral's picture
Gabriel Amaral
27/05/2021
BR
1512
points

No, he wasn't. He was top level, but I think Pelé is in front of him by a large scale.
I had saw Maradona playing in 1994 World Cup and when he got back to Boca Juniors. He was tremendous! Really a genius! And I think he would probably be even better if he hadn't so much problems outside the field in his career.


Gabriel Amaral's picture
Gabriel Amaral
27/05/2021 19:45
Brazil
Arsenal
1512

No, he wasn't. He was top level, but I think Pelé is in front of him by a large scale.
I had saw Maradona playing in 1994 World Cup and when he got back to Boca Juniors. He was tremendous! Really a genius! And I think he would probably be even better if he hadn't so much problems outside the field in his career.

Naldo24
30/11/2020
PE
133
points

In my opinion, Diego is not the best player in the world. But he is part of football history.


Naldo24
30/11/2020 02:57
Peru
Liverpool
133

In my opinion, Diego is not the best player in the world. But he is part of football history.

mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
27/11/2020
TR
6536
points

I think Diego Maradona is one of the best 3 players ever but for me Messi is the best player I've ever seen in my whole life.

I watched Diego Maradona playing in World Cup 1994 in USA but it was his late days and for sure , I watched lots of his videos on YouTube. He was simply a pure genius.

RIP Diego Armando Maradona
Anyone who loves football must love Maradona <3


mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
27/11/2020 09:57
Turkey
Manchester United
6536

I think Diego Maradona is one of the best 3 players ever but for me Messi is the best player I've ever seen in my whole life.

I watched Diego Maradona playing in World Cup 1994 in USA but it was his late days and for sure , I watched lots of his videos on YouTube. He was simply a pure genius.

RIP Diego Armando Maradona
Anyone who loves football must love Maradona <3

wsanta's picture
wsanta
27/11/2020
AR
5086
points

Diego Maradona was one of the best players of all time. I am sure that he was and will be the most beloved player in my country. We will have to overcome this mourning.


wsanta's picture
wsanta
27/11/2020 04:15
Argentina
Leeds United
5086

Diego Maradona was one of the best players of all time. I am sure that he was and will be the most beloved player in my country. We will have to overcome this mourning.

Yoshichika's picture
Yoshichika
27/11/2020
JP
76
points

Yes, of course, Diego Maradona was the best player ever.
I saw his play at the World Cup 1986, when I was 10 years old.
At that time, Diego's play was very very famous, so, many children did imitations of his play in Japan.
And many children called Diego the "Golden Left".


Yoshichika's picture
Yoshichika
27/11/2020 01:38
Japan
Liverpool
76

Yes, of course, Diego Maradona was the best player ever.
I saw his play at the World Cup 1986, when I was 10 years old.
At that time, Diego's play was very very famous, so, many children did imitations of his play in Japan.
And many children called Diego the "Golden Left".

wsanta's picture
wsanta
27/11/2020
AR
5086
points

Hi Yoshichika, it is very nice what you tell us.
Cheers


wsanta's picture
wsanta
27/11/2020 13:19
Argentina
Leeds United
5086

Hi Yoshichika, it is very nice what you tell us.
Cheers

wsanta's picture
wsanta
26/11/2020
AR
5086
points

Thank you very much for this tribute to Diego. We are living very sad days. Today I was remembering the day the whole family went to the stadium to see a charity game where Maradona played in 2006 so that our 4-year-old son could meet him.


wsanta's picture
wsanta
26/11/2020 17:41
Argentina
Leeds United
5086

Thank you very much for this tribute to Diego. We are living very sad days. Today I was remembering the day the whole family went to the stadium to see a charity game where Maradona played in 2006 so that our 4-year-old son could meet him.

Rich's picture
Rich
27/11/2020
ES
594
points

Sad times for all but great memories!

We hope you are well from all of us at Premier Skills English.


Rich's picture
Rich
27/11/2020 08:58
Spain
Liverpool
594

Sad times for all but great memories!

We hope you are well from all of us at Premier Skills English.

wsanta's picture
wsanta
27/11/2020
AR
5086
points

Thank you very much to all of you.


wsanta's picture
wsanta
27/11/2020 12:46
Argentina
Leeds United
5086

Thank you very much to all of you.

hsn's picture
hsn
26/11/2020
TR
5555
points

Was Diego Maradona the best player ever?

Maradona (May Allah have mercy upon him) was the one of the best player in the world like- as I remember- Pele,George Best my compratiot Metin Oktay, Eric Cantona and others.

Did you ever see Diego Maradona play?
Yes. I watched him at the world cup matches.


hsn's picture
hsn
26/11/2020 16:41
Turkey
Tottenham Hotspur
5555

Was Diego Maradona the best player ever?

Maradona (May Allah have mercy upon him) was the one of the best player in the world like- as I remember- Pele,George Best my compratiot Metin Oktay, Eric Cantona and others.

Did you ever see Diego Maradona play?
Yes. I watched him at the world cup matches.

Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
26/11/2020
UA
6570
points

Diego Maradona wasn't the best player, just for one reason - his handball in an important game. There were other players who didn't think it a must to perform a fair play, but the position or status of genius should dictate the right conduct. Nevertheless, he's one of the best, indeed.


Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
26/11/2020 15:00
Ukraine
Liverpool
6570

Diego Maradona wasn't the best player, just for one reason - his handball in an important game. There were other players who didn't think it a must to perform a fair play, but the position or status of genius should dictate the right conduct. Nevertheless, he's one of the best, indeed.

wsanta's picture
wsanta
27/11/2020
AR
5086
points

Football players have mischief, they always try to get some advantage.
"Football is a gentlemen's game played by hooligans, rugby is a hooligan game played by gentlemen and cricket is a gentlemen's game played by gentlemen".
Cheers


wsanta's picture
wsanta
27/11/2020 04:45
Argentina
Leeds United
5086

Football players have mischief, they always try to get some advantage.
"Football is a gentlemen's game played by hooligans, rugby is a hooligan game played by gentlemen and cricket is a gentlemen's game played by gentlemen".
Cheers

wsanta's picture
wsanta
27/11/2020
AR
5086
points

Hi Alex, I wanted to tell you that my country had been at war with Great Britain in 1982 and although Maradona said that war should not be mixed with football, which is a game, in the collective unconscious Argentines feel a bit of justice with those two goals in 1986. I once heard someone who said better that it was with the hand and not with the head so British hurt more. That game was very close to the warlike conflict and the wound was still open.
Regards!


wsanta's picture
wsanta
27/11/2020 03:57
Argentina
Leeds United
5086

Hi Alex, I wanted to tell you that my country had been at war with Great Britain in 1982 and although Maradona said that war should not be mixed with football, which is a game, in the collective unconscious Argentines feel a bit of justice with those two goals in 1986. I once heard someone who said better that it was with the hand and not with the head so British hurt more. That game was very close to the warlike conflict and the wound was still open.
Regards!

Rich's picture
Rich
27/11/2020
ES
594
points

Rich's picture
Rich
27/11/2020 09:01
Spain
Liverpool
594
wsanta's picture
wsanta
27/11/2020
AR
5086
points

It's amazing, Rich.


wsanta's picture
wsanta
27/11/2020 13:32
Argentina
Leeds United
5086

It's amazing, Rich.

Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
26/11/2020
UA
6570
points

I saw Maradona on TV a lot. I remember well his dribbling skills, then his speed and his firmness in duels on the pitch. In three words, he was swift, steady, and speedy. RIP, Diego.


Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
26/11/2020 14:52
Ukraine
Liverpool
6570

I saw Maradona on TV a lot. I remember well his dribbling skills, then his speed and his firmness in duels on the pitch. In three words, he was swift, steady, and speedy. RIP, Diego.

gogo
26/11/2020
VN
93
points

R.I.P The hand of hand


gogo
26/11/2020 13:44
Vietnam
Chelsea
93

R.I.P The hand of hand

wsanta's picture
wsanta
26/11/2020
AR
5086
points

Hi gogo, the hand of God


wsanta's picture
wsanta
26/11/2020 22:19
Argentina
Leeds United
5086

Hi gogo, the hand of God

Leaderboard

Top Scorers
RankNameScore
1Alex_from_Ukraine6570
2mobeckham6536
3hsn5555
4wsanta5086
5kwesimanifest4779
6Liubomyr4417
7elghoul3988
8assemjuve3705
9aragorn19863557
10Gergő Nagy3396
Country ranking
RankNameScore
1Colombia74670
2Ukraine33833
3Spain29384
4Serbia27426
5Brazil23388
6Albania20578
7Vietnam20437
8Turkey20093
9Macedonia19074
10Bosnia and Herzegovina16333
Club ranking
RankNameScore
1Manchester United146566
2Liverpool111201
3Chelsea90102
4Arsenal86318
5Manchester City58708
6Tottenham Hotspur19407
7Newcastle United10560
8West Ham United7652
9AFC Bournemouth4915
10Everton4533

Level

5
Average: 5 (1 vote)

Goals

Learn more football vocabulary.