Table of Contents
Lionel Messi is having a great start in this year’s Major League Soccer (MLS) season. This past Saturday, he scored two goals to help his team, Inter Miami, win 4-1 against the New England Revolution.
In that game, the New England Revolution set a new attendance record for home games. 65,612 fans went to watch.
Inter Miami is doing really well this season. They have won six out of their 11 games and are at the top of the MLS Eastern Conference. Messi has been a big part of this success. He has scored nine goals and is currently the top scorer in the MLS. He also has seven assists.
In the game against the Revolution, Messi set two new MLS records. He has scored and assisted a total of 16 goals in the first seven matches of the season. He also became the first player to assist in five games in a row.
Even though the Revolution scored first in the game, Messi’s goals in the 32nd and 68th minute helped Miami take control. Later, Benjamin Cremaschi scored another goal for Miami, and Messi helped Luis Suárez score the last goal of the game.
Messi, who has won the World Cup with Argentina and eight Ballon d’Or awards, has helped Miami become a better team. He helped them win their first trophy last August and has helped them get to the top of their conference this season.
Vocabulary
- Season – a time period or time of year when a sport is played; a fixed/set number of games for one year of a sport
- This past (Saturday) – the ‘Saturday’ that most recently took place; the last ‘Saturday’ that happened on the calendar.
- Goal – a goal is when you put the ball into the net and score points for your team
- Set a record – to achieve/do something better or more significant than anyone has done before; the most or least ever measured
- Attendance – the number of people who go to an event, meeting, etc.; how many people come to watch something
- Home game – when a team plays in their own stadium, their home field;
- Fan – a person who likes a sport, team, or celebrity; supporter; follower
- Top – the highest point or rank; the best
- Conference – a group of teams in a sports league
- A big part of – someone or something was very important to something happening; a very important point of something bigger
- Top scorer – the player who has scored the most goals in a season
- Assist – When you help a teammate score a point in a game
- In a row – something happening a number of times, one after the other; consecutively; in succession
- Even though – although; despite the fact that; a phrase used to show a contrast or contradiction between two things;
- Take control – assume power; gain control; take over
- Trophy – A prize given to the winner of a game or competition; 🏆
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- Why do you think so many fans went to watch the game between Inter Miami and the New England Revolution?
- Do you think Messi can make any team he plays on a better team?
- Will Messi playing in the US make Major League Soccer (MLS) more popular around the world? Why or why not?
- Would you like to see Ronaldo and Messi play on the same team in the US or Saudia Arabia?
- English teachers looking for teaching ideas, check out my post on using easy news articles for lessons.
- English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.
Original Story
Fill-in-the-Blank Listening Practice
Lionel Messi is _____ a great start in this year’s Major League Soccer (MLS) _____. This past Saturday, he scored two goals to help his _____, Inter Miami, win 4-1 against the New England Revolution.
_____ that game, the New England Revolution set a new attendance record for home games. _____ fans went to watch.
Inter Miami is _____ really well this season. They have won six out of their _____ games and are at the top of the MLS Eastern Conference. Messi has _____ a big part of this success. He has scored nine goals and is _____ the top scorer in the MLS. He also has seven assists.
In the game _____ the Revolution, Messi set two new MLS records. He has _____ and assisted a total of 16 goals in the _____ seven matches of the season. He also became the first player to _____ in five games in a row.
Even _____ the Revolution scored first in the game, Messi’s goals in the 32nd and _____th minute helped Miami take control. Later, Benjamin Cremaschi scored _____ goal for Miami, and Messi helped Luis Suárez score the last goal of the _____.
Messi, who has _____ the World Cup with Argentina and eight Ballon d’Or awards, has _____ Miami become a better team. He helped them win their first _____ last August and has helped them get to the top of _____ conference this season.
