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2026 World Cup Language Podcast 4: Run Riot
Day four at the 2026 World Cup saw some interesting matches. On this World Cup language podcast we look at the phrase to run riot and the Germany v Curaçao match. You can read the transcript for this podcast below, while you can also check out our glossary of footballing phrases here and visit our site to access all our previous posts and podcasts. If you have any suggestions or questions about the phrase or our podcast then you can contact us here.
Hello
DB: Hi there everyone. This is Damon from the Learn English through Football team. I hope you are well and have been enjoying the start of this mammoth World Cup. What has been your favourite match so far?
For me, it was the Holland v Japan game, which came into life in the second half, with four goals scored, two by each team. Holland looked as though they’s get the win after Summerville put them 2-1 up in the 64th minute, but a late strike by Kamada in the 89th secured a deserved draw for the Blue Samurai.
However, for today’s 2026 World Cup Language Podcast, I’m going to talk about another game with a lot of goals and that is the Germany v Curaçao match from group E. Four goals is a lot, but this game had eight! Germany put seven past tournament debutants Curaçao. The European side ran riot.
Stinger: You are listening to the Learn English Through Football Podcast.com (from a German fan)
DB: Thank you for that message which was from a German fan.
(to) Run Riot
DB: To run riot means to completely dominate a game, attacking again and again with little resistance. Using this phrase suggests that one team is in total control, creating lots of chances and scoring easily. In this match, Germany played with such speed and confidence that Curaçao simply couldn’t stop them.
The German side did take a while to get going though, and to Curaçao credit, it was only 2-1 going into added on time at the end of the second half. After Havertz slotted a penalty in that added time however, it was one way traffic in the second half, with Curaçao leaking four goals in the second half. To leak goals is to let in, or to concede, goals. And one-way traffic means one team is dominating the other; all the play is going one way.
A Hatful
DB: Now, another way to say a team or a player has scored a lot of goals is to say they scored a hatful. On day two of the World Cup, we had the phrase, bag a brace, to mean score two goals. Well, if you score five, six, or more goals, you may hear the phrase ‘a hatful‘.
This phrase comes from a hat trick, three goals. So far, no-one in the tournament has scored a hat trick, but Havartz did bag a brace for Germany in this match against Curaçao. And the team scored a hatful!
We’ll be back tomorrow with more football language from the World Cup. Until then, ta-ra!
Related Links
Learn English Through Football Podcast: A show for football fans to improve their English language skills
