Ballon d'Or campaigning gets fierce: does that cheapen the award?
When players start campaigning hard for their own trophy, does that make the award feel less special?
A radio-style debate on a real news story, written for A1 learners of English (beginner): short, slow sentences about everyday things, with the most common words.
Hear the whole debate in the app Free every day: today's episode at your level, with a synced transcript and the key vocabulary.
Get it on Google Play iPhone: join the waitlistKey vocabulary
| English | Meaning and example from the episode |
|---|---|
| campaign | organized effort to promote or achieve something“Players campaign hard for their own prize.” |
| agency | company that manages business or professional services“An agency plans it.” |
| journalist | person who writes or reports news stories“David, sports journalist.” |
| jury | group of people who decide a winner or verdict“No, but an agency can move the jury.” |
| manipulation | clever or dishonest control of people or situations“That is manipulation.” |
| favourite | person or thing most liked or preferred“And my people say "he is the favourite".” |
Who's talking
- Host
- Marcus Reid
Former midfielder for Scotland national team - Sophie Arnould
Sports PR consultant for 8 years - David Okonkwo
Freelance football journalist covering
The panelists are fictional characters, and their voices are generated with AI.
What they debate
- When Mbappé says he was the best, does that make you believe him more or less?
- Should Kane's goals speak louder than Yamal's words about himself?
- Does Dembélé have to fight harder now just to keep what he already won?
- If your agent pushed you to campaign, would you do it?
- Should a player stay quiet and let their goals speak instead?
Transcript (beginning)
Hello and welcome. The Ballon d'Or is October 26. Players campaign hard for their own prize. Does that make it less special? Marcus, former player and bar owner. Sophie, works in sports media. David, sports journalist.
Marcus, you played for Scotland. Did you ever dream of winning something like this?
No. I believe him less. When I played, we just played good games. Nobody asked for votes. The game talks, not the player.
Sophie, you worked in this world. Is it really that simple?
No, it is not simple. I've seen this from the inside. Mbappé does not write that line alone. An agency plans it.
David, you cover football. Do journalists make this worse?
Yes, we make it worse. But an agency can't score goals. Mbappé plays. Yamal plays. I write about the football, not the campaign.
No, but an agency can move the jury.
No. An agency can't move a jury. A hundred journalists watch the games. Kane scores seventy goals. That moves votes, not tweets.
No, no, wait. An agency can't move a journalist in Algeria. But it moves the fans. In my bar, people talk campaign, not goals.
Right, Sophie.
Exactly. Your bar is the point. People talk campaign because the campaign works. That talk reaches journalists too. They are fans.
David, does a goal in the Champions League matter more than talk in a bar?
The goal matters more. People talk because Kane scores.
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