English Vocabulary for Describing People: Lesson 3-Describe the LEGENDARY Maradona (with Sample Descriptions)

DESCRIBE THE GREAT AND LEGENDARY MARADONA

This month ends on a very sad note as we learned the passing of a great and unforgettable sports hero—Diego Armando Maradona.

There is so much to say about this inspiring and larger than life figure.

Who was ‘El Pibe de Oro‘? Where did he come from? When and where did he play? How did he become a household name across the globe?

In this lesson, you will learn how to describe this incredible man in English.

This will be done in 5 Steps. Do 1 step at a time for better results.

Do not forget to use a unilingual or bilingual dictionary to check the meaning and pronunciation of new words.

Write down important information as deemed necessary.

As soon as you are ready, we can begin the lesson.

a) Describe the Legendary Maradona (Step 1): Adjectives for Describing Maradona

Describe the Legendary Maradona, Adjectives for Describing Maradona_Learn English With Africa_November 2020

Maradona was a public figure whom many people related to, regardless of their background.

Memories of his incredible football games are all etched in our minds.

It is an undeniable fact that Maradona was charismatic and his magnetic presence could not be ignored on or off screen.

If you had to use 5 Adjectives to describe this football maestro, what would they be?

Sample Description

Diego Maradona was a unique player who could dribble past his opponents with amazing skill.
He was an Argentinian vocal activist who fought for social justice and democracy in his country.
Maradona’s nickname ‘El Pibe de Oro‘ (‘The Golden Kid’) dates back to his early football days when he was just a fearless teenager with a very promising sports career.
Diego became a controversial figure in his later years but he remained in the hearts of many people around the world.
Despite the hardships he went through, Maradona was resilient and continued to inspire young talents.

Your Turn: What would you say about Diego Maradona? Choose 5 Adjectives from the picture and describe him.

Once you have finished, we can go to Step 2. What do you know about Maradona’s life?

b) Describe the Legendary Maradona (Step 2): Describing his Life

Describe the Legendary Maradona, Adjectives for Describing Maradona's Life_Learn English With Africa_November 2020

Did you know that Maradona was born on October 30th, 1960 in the slums of Buenos Aires in Argentina?

He was the fifth-born child in a family of eight. His father was a bricklayer and a factory worker and his mother was a housewife.

However, his poor background did not stop him from becoming a world-class football player who was worshiped like a deity.

Maradona married his childhood sweetheart, Claudia Villafañe, in 1989. The couple had two daughters together before divorcing in 2004.

What do you know about Diego Maradona’s life? Can you describe it?

Sample Description

Maradona had a remarkable and high-profile life that was cut short by his death at the age of 60 on November 25th, 2020.
When Maradona left FC Barcelona, his life was tumultuous because of his illicit consumption of drugs.
Maradona can be considered as a genius and his life is truly awe-inspiring, considering his humble background.
He had a prolific and productive life and the world is grateful for his many contributions to football.
Diego was very outspoken and his life was often turbulent because he never minced his words.

Your Turn: What can you say about Diego’s life from what you have seen on television or read? Choose 5 Adjectives from the picture and do the description. You can also look for information online to help you undertake this task.

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It is not very easy to do this exercise because we did not know this person personally. Nevertheless, we know the roles he played while he was still with us on earth. Let’s see what Nouns we can use to talk about him.

c) Describe the Legendary Maradona (Step 3): Nouns to Talk about Diego Maradona

Decribe the Legendary Maradona, Nouns to Talk about Maradona_Learn English With Africa_November 2020

As we have previously seen, Diego was a son, a father and a husband.

He was mostly known as a football player whose main position was attacking midfielder.

What else can we say about him?

Sample Description:

Maradona was a forward , an excellent dribbler and a nightmare for most defenders.
He felt like a friend and a companion to even those who did not know him personally and today many people are reeling at the news of his death.
He was an unrivalled champion who entertained football fans with his magical skills.
Diego Maradona was a record-breaker in many fields and he is considered as one of the greatest footballers of all time.
Maradona became a coach and a manager before he completely retired from active football.

Your Turn: How about choosing 5 Nouns or more and making your own sentences? Try to use any link word of your choice.

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I think that this section was easier than the last one. Let’s move on to Step 4. In this step, we will have a look at some of the famous football teams he played for or against.

d) Describe the Legendary Maradona (Step 4): The Teams He Played for or Against

Describe the Legendary Maradona (Famous Football Teams Around the World_Learn English With Africa_November 2020)

Maradona started playing at the age of 8 for a Buenos Aires youth team called ‘Los Cebollitas‘ (‘The Little Onions‘).

In 1976, he started his professional career by joining the Argentinos Juniors where he excelled.

He was later transferred to the Boca Juniors for a record 4 million US dollars, a feat for the shantytown-born kid.

It was in Europe that Maradona would appear on the world stage, stunning supporters with his unique football skills and natural talent.

Where did he play?

Sample Description:

After his stint at Boca Juniors in Argentina, Maradona was transferred to FC Barcelona in Spain for a record fee of 7.6 million US dollars.
In 1983, Diego and his new team won the Copa Del Rey, the Spanish Cup, beating Real Madrid.
He then joined Napoli in Italy in 1984 where he became captain of the team.
In Italy, Maradona played against tough and famous teams such as Juventus, Ac Milan, Inter Milan and AS Roma.
Diego Maradona never played for the Paris Saint-Germain in France.

Your Turn: What do you know about the Golden Boy’s football career? Talk about it.

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We can now go to Step 5 where you will learn about the positions he played as a footballer.

Here we go!

e) Describe the Legendary Maradona (Step 5): The Positions He Played

Describe the Legendary Maradona (Different Player Positions in Football_Learn English With Africa_November 2020)

Diego was certainly not a goalkeeper but he could scare most of them.

His memorable goals date back to the 1986 World Cup in a quarterfinal match against England where the final score was 2-1 in favour of Argentina.

This was where the expression, the ‘hand of God‘ came from when Maradona is said to have scored with his hand, enraging English players and fans alike.

This is also the match where the best goal in football history was said to have been produced by Maradona himself, 4 minutes after the questionable ‘hand of God’ goal was netted.

So what positions did Maradona play exactly to wreak such havoc on the football field?

Sample Description:

He was mainly a playmaker or an attacking midfielder and his job was to organise his team’s offensive game.
His excellent ball control and dribbling skills also enabled him to be a dangerous forward.
He could also play as second-striker in some games.
Maradona was not a defender because he loved to play in attacking positions.

Your Turn: What can you say about the positions that Maradona occupied as a football player? Would you have loved seeing him play in a different position?

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BONUS VOCABULARY CHARTS

You can also use the vocabulary below to talk more about this celebrated player.

Be creative and try to find as much information as you can about this legendary player.