VOA名师答疑2023 football和soccer的区别

Football or Soccer?

Hello! This week on Ask a Teacher, we will answer a question about the difference between football and soccer.

Question:

Hello, my name is Ben.

I am a middle school student from China. I like learning¹ English. "Soccer" and "football" sometimes mean the same thing, and sometimes they mean different things. Could you please explain how to tell the difference in daily life?

Thank you!

Answer

This is an awesome² question, Ben.

You are correct, "football" and "soccer" are the same sports. But "football" in the United³ States is a completely⁴ different game from the "football" played in other parts of the world.

Let's take a closer look at the two terms and two different games played.

The most popular game in the world - "football" - is the one played only with the feet. Every four years, players from many nations gather for the World Cup. In game play, a ball is passed and kicked around a large field with goals at each end. A goalkeeper protects each goal while 10 other players try to score. Football is played almost year-round with two short breaks in the winter and summer.

The Argentina national football team won the 2022 World Cup.

We also play this game in the United States, but we call it "soccer." It is the same sport.

Eleven US cities will host soccer games for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

One of the most popular sports in the United States, however, is called "football," but it is a completely different sport. Most people from outside of the U.S. know this sport as "American football" and the big game each year is called the Super Bowl.

In this sport, the ball is oval-shaped and brown. The players mostly use their hands as they run and throw the ball down the field to the other team's end zone to score points, known⁵ as touchdowns. Players can also kick the ball over a high bar to score extra points.

As with soccer, there are 11 players on each team, but no goalkeepers. Instead, defensive⁶ players try to stop the other team from scoring by knocking the ball away or knocking down the player with the ball. American football is played September through January.

Unlike⁷ soccer, there are no professional⁸ football teams with women.

The West Virginia Mountaineers have won a lot of football games, but they have never won a national college championship.

Tailgating parties before football games include music, food, and drinks.

Please let us know if these explanations and examples helped you, Ben!

What question do you have about American English? Send us an email at [email protected]

Words in This Story

knocking –v. to cause someone or something to fall to the ground

tailgate – v. to have a social gathering in which food and drinks are served at or near the back of a parked vehicle

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 awesome   

adj.令人惊叹的，难得吓人的，很好的

参考例句：

• The church in Ireland has always exercised an awesome power.爱尔兰的教堂一直掌握着令人敬畏的权力。
• That new white convertible is totally awesome.那辆新的白色折篷汽车简直棒极了.

3 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

4 completely   

adv.完全地，十分地，全然

参考例句：

• She never completely gave up hope.她从不完全放弃希望。
• I feel completely in the dark on this question.这件事使我感到茫然。

5 known   

adj.大家知道的；知名的，已知的

参考例句：

• He is a known artist.他是一个知名的艺术家。
• He is known both as a painter and as a statesman.他是知名的画家及政治家。

6 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

7 unlike   

adj.不同的，不相似的；prep.不像，和...不同

参考例句：

• She's very unlike her mother.她一点也不像她母亲。
• It's unlike him to be late;he's usually on time.他不是会迟到的那种人，他通常很准时。

8 professional   

adj.专业的；职业的；n.专业人员；职业运动员

参考例句：

• He is a professional tennis player.他是一名职业网球运动员。
• I need a professional to sort out my finances.我需要专业人士为我管理财务。