IELTS Speaking 2025 Part 2&3: Describe a sports team you admire

Describe a sports team you admire

Suggested ideas for each part

• What team it is: ⚽ Vietnam National Football Team / 🏀 Saigon Heat (Vietnam’s top basketball team) / 🏐 Vietnam Women’s Volleyball Team
• How you learned about this team: 📺 Watched them on TV / 🎟️ Saw a live match / 📰 Read about them online
• Why you admire this team: 🏆 Hard work and determination / 🇻🇳 Pride for Vietnam / 💪 Overcoming challenges
• How this team has influenced you: ⚡ Inspires perseverance / 🏃 Motivates me to play sports / ❤️ Teaches teamwork and unity

Useful grammar structures

1. Present perfect: I have been following this team for years.
2. Past simple: I first watched them play in 2018.
3. Comparisons: They are one of the most hardworking teams in Asia.
4. Conditional sentence (Type 2): If I had the chance, I would love to meet them in person.
5. Relative clauses: They are a team that has inspired millions with their dedication.

Collocations

1. Incredible teamwork 🤝 (sự phối hợp đồng đội tuyệt vời)
2. Fighting spirit 🔥 (tinh thần chiến đấu mãnh liệt)
3. Unwavering determination 💪 (quyết tâm không lay chuyển)
4. Historic victory 🏆 (chiến thắng lịch sử)
5. National pride 🇻🇳 (niềm tự hào dân tộc)
6. Inspirational journey 🌟 (hành trình đầy cảm hứng)
7. Overcome challenges 🎯 (vượt qua thử thách)

Full spoken sample (about 2 minutes)

One sports team that I truly admire is the Vietnam National Football Team ⚽🇻🇳. They have gained a lot of recognition in recent years for their incredible teamwork 🤝 and fighting spirit 🔥. Despite not being a top team in the world, they have shown unwavering determination 💪 and continuously improved their performance.

I first learned about this team back in 2018, during the AFC U-23 Championship. That year, they made history by reaching the final for the first time ever! The final match against Uzbekistan was unforgettable—it was played under heavy snow ❄️, something totally unfamiliar to Vietnamese players. Even though they lost in the last minutes, their historic victory 🏆 in reaching the final brought so much national pride 🇻🇳. I remember watching the game with my friends and feeling incredibly emotional.

What I admire most about this team is their ability to overcome challenges 🎯. For many years, Vietnamese football struggled on the international stage, but thanks to talented young players and dedicated coaching, they have transformed into a competitive team. Their passion and discipline inspire millions of fans, including me.

Personally, this team has had a huge impact on me. Watching their inspirational journey 🌟 has taught me that hard work and perseverance always pay off. I used to give up easily whenever I faced difficulties, but now I remind myself that if they can train for years and never give up, I should do the same in my life. If I had the chance, I would love to watch them play live in a stadium someday!

Part 3: Discussion Questions

1. Why do people like to support sports teams?

Ideas

• ⚽ Brings excitement and entertainment
• 🤝 Creates a sense of community and belonging
• 🇻🇳 Boosts national pride

Collocations

1. Passionate fanbase 🎉 (lượng người hâm mộ cuồng nhiệt)
2. Emotional rollercoaster 🎢 (sự thăng trầm cảm xúc)
3. Sense of belonging 🤝 (cảm giác gắn kết)

Sample answer

People support sports teams for many reasons. First, it brings excitement—watching a match is like going on an emotional rollercoaster 🎢, with moments of joy, tension, and even disappointment. Also, supporting a team creates a sense of belonging 🤝. Fans feel like they are part of a family, sharing the same passion and cheering together. Finally, when it comes to national teams, sports can boost national pride 🇻🇳. For example, when Vietnam won the AFF Cup, millions of people celebrated in the streets, showing how much sports can unite a country.

2. Do you think team sports are better than individual sports?

Ideas

• 🤝 Team sports teach cooperation and communication
• 🏃‍♂️ Individual sports build discipline and self-reliance
• ⚖️ Both have different benefits

Collocations

1. Develop teamwork skills 🤝 (phát triển kỹ năng làm việc nhóm)
2. Boost self-confidence 💪 (tăng sự tự tin)
3. Improve strategic thinking 🧠 (cải thiện tư duy chiến lược)

Sample answer

I think both team and individual sports have their own benefits. Team sports, like football and basketball, help players develop teamwork skills 🤝 and learn to cooperate with others. On the other hand, individual sports, such as tennis or swimming, boost self-confidence 💪 and teach people to rely on themselves. Personally, I prefer team sports because they allow players to improve strategic thinking 🧠 and create strong friendships. However, it really depends on a person’s preference and personality.

3. How can playing sports benefit young people?

Ideas

• 🏃 Improves physical health
• 🧠 Develops mental strength and discipline
• 🤝 Teaches teamwork and leadership skills

Collocations

1. Promote a healthy lifestyle 🍎 (thúc đẩy lối sống lành mạnh)
2. Enhance social skills 🗣️ (nâng cao kỹ năng xã hội)
3. Build resilience 🏋️ (xây dựng khả năng chịu đựng)

Sample answer

Playing sports provides many benefits for young people. First, it helps promote a healthy lifestyle 🍎 by keeping them active and preventing health issues like obesity. Second, sports can enhance social skills 🗣️, as young players learn to communicate and cooperate with teammates. Lastly, sports help build resilience 🏋️—when young athletes lose a game, they learn to handle failure and keep trying. Overall, playing sports shapes young people into stronger, healthier, and more confident individuals.