Football has always united people all around the world despite geopolitical tensions, cultural differences and even linguistic barriers. In many ways, football is a universal language, but linguistically it can only take you so far. The world is becoming more multinational, multicultural and multilingual than ever before, and the same applies to the world of football. The Premier League has had an influx of international players, managers, coaches and staff over the last decades, and as a result we are seeing more diverse teams with various languages spoken. With this in mind, the modern day footballer should ask themselves… should I learn a foreign language? The answer should definitely be YES and we will tell you why!
The UK is stubbornly monolingual and we often shy away from learning a new language. We are in a privileged position where English is widely spoken worldwide and so we often don’t feel a need to pick up a foreign language. Consequently, this stubbornness has resulted in us becoming one of the worst linguists in Europe, with as little as 2% of Britons being able to read in a foreign language and only 3.6% taking up a language A-Level. This slightly shameful inward-looking ‘Anglosphere’ that we find ourselves in limits our potential to interact with others, understand different cultures, relocate abroad, progress our career and the list goes on. But why does this matter for a footballer?
Football is an intuitive game where non-verbal language goes a long way. A lot can be said by simple gestures, body language and tone without necessarily understanding the language itself. In fact, tons of football-related vocabulary is similar in many languages, so players can more or less pick up what they need to do and follow tactical instructions. Off the pitch however, how can players communicate with teammates without that base language?
Fully integrating into a squad becomes an impossible task with linguistic barriers in your way. Take Gareth Bale for example: when he moved to Madrid in 2013, he had the world at his feet and was rooted to become a legend of the game. Almost ten years on from his arrival, his time in the Spanish capital has been anything but an easy ride. Fans have long forgotten about the match-winning goals, the spectacular overhead kick against Liverpool and the multiple trophies to his name because of this cultural and linguistic disconnect. Bale has never mastered the language and this has limited his connection with the fans and his teammates too. Off-the-field chemistry is essential, and it seems that this has caught up with him. Fans have continuously turned on him even after spectacular performances, and managers have overlooked his raw talent and undisputed potential. It’s no coincidence that this failure to integrate and connect with Madrid has cost Bale greatly.
The same can’t be said for England and former Atletico Madrid right-back, Kieran Trippier, who adapted well to his new surroundings by embracing the local culture and learning Spanish. Trippier’s commitment to integrating himself into the team saw him become a popular figure among Atleti fans and players. If Bale had gone the extra mile to learn Spanish, would we be reflecting on his time at Real differently?
Whether you’re playing abroad in a different country, or even have international players in your own team, every player benefits from having a foreign language at their disposal. If you find yourself playing abroad in another massive European league, like Serie A, La Liga or the Bundesliga, that ability to form friendships with team mates, communicate clearly with the staff, do a press conference in the target language with the media, and understand cultural faux pas to avoid will bring you a long way, both on and off the pitch. Not being able to speak the local language can be alienating, so taking that initiative, getting out of your comfort zone and mastering the language will make an enormous difference.
Aside from essential communication skills, languages teach you invaluable life skills and transferable skills too. For instance, learning a language is no piece of cake and it requires plenty of practice, patience and perseverance. This discipline can also be applied to football, thus languages will strengthen your mentality and give you that drive to deliver. On top of that, languages make you a better listener, amplify your memory, improve your decision making and teach you to enhance your attention to detail, which are all skills that come in handy on the football pitch.
From what we’ve discussed, it’s clear that languages can only have a positive effect on the life of a footballer. It’s a complete myth that some are more talented linguists than others, so what’s stopping you? Admittedly, some can learn quicker with the aid of other languages, for instance if you know French, learning Spanish isn’t as much of a challenge due to the linguistic similarities, but anyone can do it if they apply themselves, commit to the cause and discover their best learning techniques. It’s never too late to learn!
Find out more about our upcoming online and face-to-face Foreign Language courses here.