A1June 17, 2026·2 min read·312 words·5 vocab words·Source: ESPN

Three Big Football Stars Score Many Goals Today

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Three Big Football Stars Score Many Goals Today
Photo: ESPN
In brief

Three famous football players score many goals today. Lionel Messi scores three goals for Argentina. He is the best scorer in the world now. Kylian Mbappe scores two goals for France. Erling Haaland scores two goals for Norway. Fans are very happy to watch these great players.

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The World Cup is a big football competition. Many people are watching the games today. There are three famous players on the field. They are Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland. Lionel Messi is from Argentina. He plays for a team in Miami. He is almost thirty-nine years old. But he is very good. Today, his team plays against Algeria. The game is in Kansas City. Fans are happy. They look at Messi. He scores three goals. This is a hat trick. Now, he has sixteen World Cup goals. This number is very important. A player from Germany has sixteen goals too. His name is Miroslav Klose. Messi is number one with him now. People cheer for Messi. He stops playing near the end of the game. Kylian Mbappe is from France. He plays for a team in Madrid. Today, France plays against Senegal. The game is in New Jersey. Mbappe runs fast. He scores two goals. France wins the game three to one. The first goal is very nice. A player passes the ball, and Mbappe kicks it in. The second goal is from far away. Now, Mbappe has fifty-eight goals for France. He is the top scorer for his country. He has fourteen World Cup goals. Erling Haaland is from Norway. He is almost twenty-six years old. He plays for a team in Manchester. Today, Norway plays against Iraq. The game is in Boston. This is a big day for Haaland. It is his first World Cup game. His father is an old player. His father is in the 1994 World Cup. Erling Haaland is strong. He scores two goals today. The first goal is close to the net. The second goal is lucky. He runs to the goalkeeper. The ball hits Haaland and goes in. These three players are very famous. They score many goals. Fans love them.

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Comprehension
Question 1 of 3

How many goals does Lionel Messi score against Algeria?

Grammar spotlight

Present Simple for Actions

One point · A1

We use the present simple tense (he plays, she scores, the game is) to talk about facts and regular actions in this level.

From this article

The game is in Kansas City.

What to know · A1

Use it today

Try saying this aloud

Neutral register

Scenario: Talking about a game you are watching.

  1. 01The game is very good.
  2. 02He plays very well.
  3. 03Fans are happy.

Register tip · informal

🔑Key Phrases

He plays for a teamHe is a member of a sports club.

Used to say where an athlete works.

Present simple third-person singular.

He plays for a team in London.

This is a hat trick.This means three goals in one game.

A common sports word for three goals.

Subject + Be + Noun Phrase.

Wow, this is a hat trick for her!

near the end of the gameAlmost at the finish time of the match.

Used to describe when something happens late in an event.

Prepositional phrase of time.

We score a goal near the end of the game.

🎙️ Article Audio — Kokoro TTS

Three Big Football Stars Score Many Goals Today

💬Discussion Questions

Open-ended questions to talk or write about — alone, with a partner, or in class.

  1. 1

    Do you like to watch football? Why or why not?

    Personal
  2. 2

    Who is your favorite sports player?

    Opinion
  3. 3

    Is it good to play sports? Why?

    Evaluate
  4. 4

    What sports are famous in your country?

    Personal
  5. 5

    How do fans feel when their team scores a goal?

    Evaluate
  6. 6

    Is football better than basketball? Why?

    Compare
  7. 7

    What will happen in the next World Cup game?

    Predict
  8. 8

    Do you want to go to a World Cup game?

    Personal

Adapted from ESPN · Read the original. LinguaPress rewrites the facts as original graded-reader text for language learners.

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