Japanese Football Fans React to Ballon d'Or Awards
Listen to the story
The Ballon d'Or is a famous football prize. It happens every year. The best players in the world can win it.
This year, there was good news for Japanese football. A Japanese player did something great at the ceremony.
But some fans from other countries were angry. They did not like one of the results. They said it was "the biggest robbery in history."
Aitana Bonmati's teammate Putellas won the best women's player award. This was her third time winning it in four years.
De la Fuente won the award for best men's coach.
A Japanese player named Mana Matsukubo was also at the event. She is 22 years old and plays for the Japan women's team, called Nadeshiko.
She wore a black dress without sleeves. She took a photo with football star Harry Kane.
Many fans shared their opinions online about the awards. Some were happy. Some were not happy at all.
Vocabulary4 words
- Ballon d'Or
- a famous yearly football prize for the best player
- ceremony
- a special event where prizes are given
- coach
- a person who trains a sports team
- Nadeshiko
- the name for Japan's women's football team
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Quiz
Answer key
1. A football prize 2. Angry 3. True
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
The Ballon d'Or is a famous football _____. It happens every year.
This year, there was good news for _____ football.
But some fans from other _____ were angry.
They said it was "the biggest _____ in history."
Putellas won the best women's player _____.
This was her third time winning it in four _____.
De la Fuente won the award for best men's _____.
A Japanese player named Mana Matsukubo was also at the _____.
She wore a black dress without _____.
She took a photo with football star Harry _____.
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