Ronaldo Starts as Al-Ittihad Coach Makes Surprise Lineup Call
Listen to the story
Al-Ittihad played Al-Nassr in a big football match. People call this game the Clásico in Saudi football. Cristiano Ronaldo played for Al-Nassr. He started as the striker. A striker is the player who tries to score goals.
The Al-Ittihad coach made a surprise choice. He left out a player called Al Amri from the starting lineup. Fans call Al Amri the "Lion of Morocco." This name shows he is a strong and popular player. Many fans did not expect this decision.
Al Amri came back to Al-Ittihad this season. The team wants to win the league three times in a row. This is called a three-peat. The coach said there was "no time for sentiment." This means he must choose the best team, not favorite players.
Both teams have famous players. The match was important for the Saudi league. Fans waited to see if Ronaldo would score again.
Vocabulary7 words
- Clásico
- a very famous, exciting match between two big teams
- striker
- a player whose job is to score goals
- starting lineup
- the list of players who begin the game
- three-peat
- winning something three times in a row
- sentiment
- feelings, like liking someone very much
- coach
- the person who leads and picks the team
- goal
- when the ball goes in the net and a team scores
Quiz
Answer key
1. Cristiano Ronaldo 2. Al Amri 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Al-Ittihad played Al-Nassr in a big football match. People call this game the _____ in Saudi football. Cristiano Ronaldo played for Al-Nassr. He started as the _____.
The Al-Ittihad coach made a surprise choice. He left out a player called Al Amri from the _____. Fans call Al Amri the "Lion of Morocco."
Al Amri came back to Al-Ittihad this season. The team wants to win the league three times in a row. This is called a _____. The coach said there was "no time for _____."