A selection of headlines from stories in the news. They use English in a way that you might think is intended to confuse but it's all perfectly clear to the native speaker.

A selection of headlines from stories in the news. They use English in a way that you might think is intended to confuse but it's all perfectly clear to the native speaker.

THE former international footballer Gianluca Vialli, working as a pundit for BBC TV, described Spain as “awesome” and nobody can really argue with that expert assessment, especially coming from an Italian.

Spain's success at Euro 2012 and their 4-0 thrashing of Italy in Sunday's final was the icing on the cake for a tournament which produced plenty of great football and few examples of ill-discipline either on or off the field. A great way to finally end the 2011-12 season.

A selection of headlines from stories in the news. They use English in a way that you might think is intended to confuse but it's all perfectly clear to the native speaker.

Football Diary

by Patrick O'Connor

THE job of being a football referee is becoming more difficult every day and recent controversy over who should and should not be sent off for two-footed tackles is not making things any easier.

Indeed, it's almost becoming a witch hunt by television as pundits pour over, frame by frame, every contentious tackle.

Football Diary

by Patrick O'Connor

WHAT is it about the Germans and their business sense? They seem to be faring better than most in the Euro crisis and now one of England's top football writers suggests that the German model is the one to adopt when it comes to running football clubs.

James Lawton, of The Independent, who is also Sports Writer of the Year, was last week speculating on how the Premier League could move away from the situation where unless your club is owned by a wealthy benefactor you've got no chance of winning anything.