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PhrasesAt a Football MatchGooooal! Che gol meraviglioso!
A1informal

Gooooal! Che gol meraviglioso!

Goooal! What a wonderful goal!

Pronunciation

GOL — extended as long as you want: GOOOOOOOL. Keh gol meh-rah-vee-LYO-soh.

When to use it

The moment a goal is scored. The elongation of 'gol' is a universal Italian football expression — the longer the better. Follow immediately with a description of the goal.

What it means

Gol is the Italian word for goal, borrowed from English but pronounced differently. Meraviglioso means wonderful or marvellous. The exclamation is a moment of pure emotion — grammar becomes secondary to volume and passion.

Variations

Che bomba!

What a bombshell (great shot)!

For a powerful long-range shot.

Che colpo di testa!

What a header!

Specifically for a header goal.

Che numero!

What a move (skill)!

For a particularly skilled individual action.

Mini Dialogue

— Goooooal! — Che gol meraviglioso! Di testa! — Il numero nove — che colpo! — Uno a zero per noi! — Forza! Forza! Forza!

— Goooooal! — What a wonderful goal! A header! — Number nine — what a strike! — One nil for us! — Come on! Come on! Come on!

Cultural Note

The elongated 'GOOOOOL' was immortalised by legendary Italian radio commentator Nicolò Carosio in the 1940s and perfected by television commentator Bruno Pizzul. The tradition of ecstatic goal celebration commentary is a fundamental part of Italian football culture.