Shadowing Practice: Hollywood celebrities support Messi in the World Cup 2026 - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Last time you were here, there was talk of you going to a World Cup match.
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Yes, and I'm going.
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You're going to go see your boy Messi.
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I'm going to Dallas.
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I mean, I wouldn't call him my boy, but I'm going to see Argentina play in the FIFA World Cup.
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And I'm trying to track down Messi.
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I just need a photo, even if I'm in the background.
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I'm just trying to get into the locker room.
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I feel like you're kind of at a point in your career now where if you...
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What am I going to do, DM Messi?
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People watch the Today Show.
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If one of Messi's folks is watching, Camila would like to meet Lionel Messi.
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If you mean Messi, send us a picture so we can...
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Oh, next time I come, I mean, I'll have him if I can get a jersey signed.
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Oh, my God.
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What have you not done?
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Of course, I'm a you do Messi fan.
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To tell you the truth, I've been a football fan ever since my godson said to me that he wanted to go to the World Cup.
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But I got to say, I am converted.
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I am a fan now.
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There's nothing like the sport of football.
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You can start playing yourself, maybe.
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Huh?
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You can start playing yourself, maybe.
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Am I going to start playing?
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You can start playing.
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I think I'd have a lot of years of practice to catch up to even compete on any kind of a level.
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I mean, I was really, we were so excited.
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I could see that you seem to be, let's just take a look at, I mean, you are raging.
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Oh, I am like out of body.
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Well, first of all, when he was leaving the field, it was like a John Hughes movie, like Pretty in Pink.
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Like he looks over and I'm like, is he looking at me?
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Is he looking at us?
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I was like, I literally was like that, and then he starts coming over, and the next thing, there he was, and he signed Ford's shirt.
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The kids love, my son Billy loves him.
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Loves, loves, loves him.
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I mean, that's the most excited I've ever been, to see someone.
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Really?
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Oh, yeah.
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Yeah, for sure.
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I mean, it's like Michael Jordan.
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Especially excited, because he gave you a sweaty hug, too.
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Well, you know, we were talking about that, because the kids on the way home, they're like, did you see he signed my shirt?
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And he gave me a high five.
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And I was like, guys, did you not see he hugged me?
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You know, classic middle child.
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Well, you know, actually you said it was a sweaty hug, but the first thing I felt when I hugged him was like, his skin is really soft.
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That was the first thing, and I said it to them.
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And they go, oh, yeah, Dad, when he gave me a high five, his hands were really soft, so I got an amen from them too.
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He's not just a great soccer player player he has beautiful skin
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I'm excited.
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Yeah, like a little kid on Christmas.
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Can I say something?
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Lionel Messi is my son's favorite.
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No way!
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He's going to love these.
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He has all the jerseys, everything, and every time he's...
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I promise I'm going to make him.
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Messi, we were sitting on the couch, holding our breath.
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It was the greatest game, and I mean, Messi is just the greatest of all time.
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That's all there is.
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Barcelona, Real Madrid.
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I'm going to say Barcelona.
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Real's pretty great though, but Barcelona I can't rule my R's Sounds kind of small I don't know,
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cool Of course, Messi, one of the greatest of all time Forza Barraza I know, that's a controversial one I just love Messi The other day we met Messi and it was crazy
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It was crazy It was a great passion of mine
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This hand was actually in the hand of Lionel Messi on Monday night.
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Not because I particularly wanted to meet him, but my wife did.
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Lionel Messi converted her to soccer.
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She had no interest in it at all until she saw how this man played ball.
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And I knew he was going to be at this event.
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I'd accepted an invitation to present an award because I'm also president of the academy of a premiership football team in England,
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team I've supported since I was seven.
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And I knew there would be a lot of great, because it was an international event.
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It wasn't just the British Football League.
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And I didn't know that Messi would be there, but I hoped that he would.
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And I told my wife, if he's there, I will do everything in my power to bring the two of you face to face.
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And she said, what if he becomes my celebrity pass?
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I said, that's fine by me.
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Absolutely.
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And it was really, really hard because there was security like you've never seen.
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You know, it might have been the royal family in attendance
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because there was Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and there was the other great Argentinian.
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An old guy now.
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Maradona.
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Maradona, thank you.
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Diego Maradona.
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Mano de Dios.
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He actually handed a ball into the net of the British goal in a match once.
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And you couldn't get to them.
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I was sitting on the front row, but right at one end of the cinema, and all these guys were at the other end of the cinema.
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And I decided when the show is over, I'm going to make a run for it.
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And they were saying, thank you, everybody.
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What a great night.
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Thank you.
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Wonderful.
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Come again next year.
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Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah and I turned to my wife and said, you follow me and stay close.
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I shot along the front of the theater, between the edge of the stage and the front row.
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Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me.
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And I know people are thinking, oh my God, there's some
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and something has gone wrong
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and then i hit the security wall excuse me excuse me
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i was saying yes patrick i was saying i'm sorry i'm
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so embarrassed myself i was saying it's patrick sure i'm patrick
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sure thinking it might have some impact i arrived at the and they were going oh uh Yeah, okay.
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And I saw Cristiano Ronaldo look up and go, oh, who's this guy?
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And I couldn't see Leo.
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He wasn't, he had actually turned around and bent down over his seat.
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And he's quite short.
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And so he just vanished behind everybody.
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And I stood behind him, and then he stood up and turned around, and we were face to face.
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And his face, oh, you see, this is very emotional for me.
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And he just beamed into my face.
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And I said, Senor Messi, por favor, mi esposa.
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And they shook hands.
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And then I said, can I please take a photograph of the two of you together?
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So I took, not a selfie, I took a photograph of Lionel Messi and my wife side by side.
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And then his wife said, and I want a photograph with you.
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Well, that was only four nights ago.
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And as you can see, I'm still a little stimulated by it.
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It makes me so excited.
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I'm happy to be here, you know, with Victoria and David and everyone.
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It's going to be such a fun game.
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Does he have a favorite player right now? Do you?
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Well, he has Messi.
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Absolutely Messi.
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He's so excited to see Messi.
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Yes

Why practice speaking with this video?

Engaging with this video featuring Hollywood celebrities expressing their excitement for the FIFA World Cup 2026 is an excellent opportunity to practice your spoken English. The informal conversations reflect real-life situations, making it easier to relate to and understand everyday language use. As you listen and repeat, or shadow speak, you’ll not only learn how expressions vary in casual contexts but also grasp the natural rhythm of speech.

Additionally, observing their interactions allows you to pick up on emotional expressions and gestures that accompany language. Such context is vital when trying to convey feelings or excitement, particularly when discussing passionate subjects like sports. Using a shadowing app while practicing with this video will further enhance your learning experience by enabling you to refine your pronunciation and fluency as you mimic the speakers.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

  • Conditional Statements: The phrase "If one of Messi's folks is watching, Camila would like to meet Lionel Messi" showcases the use of conditionals. These structures are essential for expressing wishes or hypothetical situations.
  • Present Perfect Tense: The line "I've been a football fan ever since my godson said to me that he wanted to go to the World Cup" illustrates the present perfect tense, which is used to describe experiences up to the present.
  • Direct Speech: "He looks over and I'm like, 'Is he looking at me?'" highlights the use of direct speech, which adds authenticity and immediacy to storytelling. This technique is prevalent in conversational English.
  • Idiomatic Expressions: Phrases like "I'm converted" and "raging" show how informal expressions enrich language and express feelings vividly. Learning such idioms can greatly improve your conversational skills.

Common Pronunciation Traps

As you practice with this video, pay particular attention to the following pronunciation challenges:

  • Soft 's' sounds: Words like "Messi" and "soft" can trip up non-native speakers due to the subtle pronunciation of the 's' sounds, which require a delicate touch.
  • Connecting words: Noticing how the celebrities blend words together, such as "I'm going to" becoming "I'm gonna," can help you speak more naturally.
  • Emphasis on adjectives: They often emphasize words like "great" and "excited," which can influence meaning. Learning to stress the right words can improve your overall clarity in speaking.

Using a shadowspeak technique during your practice sessions—especially focusing on challenging words—can significantly help improve your English pronunciation and make your speaking sound more fluid and engaging. Incorporating a reliable shadowing site can provide additional exercises and examples that enhance your learning journey.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.