A passion for most Italian men and women, more than politics, religion, or any other sport, in Italy soccer is a source of endless conversations. A not-given penalty or a victory in an important competition occupies the media for days and the memories of the tifosi forever. In this class, students will learn about the favorite Italian sport, about its history, teams, and protagonists. They will have the unique opportunity of closely following a good portion of the Serie A season. Students will acquire the knowledge necessary for engaging in and understanding soccer-related conversations; also, they will become aware of a specific vocabulary that has permeated everyday Italian language. Starting from Italian soccer, the goal of this class is to improve students’ linguistic skills and understanding of Italian culture in a larger sense. Through the use of online media sources (mainly newspapers and videos), this class will allow students to immerse themselves into a very specific Italian environment, and, at the same time, perfect skills that will permit their further exploration of other Italian cultural and social themes. Through class activities, conversations, and assignments, students will continue their learning of Italian grammar and improve their speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills. Additionally, the reading of a contemporary literary text that revolves around the theme of soccer will be studied throughout the semester. Tentatively, the Tuesday classes will be centered on Italian soccer while the Thursday classes will be dedicated to literary readings. The instructor will prepare listening exercises based on authentic online material (youtube or RAI videos) and reading exercises based on the weekly readings or Italian newspaper articles. The selection of listening and reading material will allow the instructor to propose a review of Italian grammar structures.