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football hero

football hero

4 2.3
A football player many people admire for great skill and big successes
  • noun
  • /ˈfʊtbɔl ˈhɪroʊ/
translation icon : héroe del fútbol
  • He was a year ahead of her in the county high school, a football hero in a town that worshiped the sport.
  • a former football hero
  • a high school football hero
  • a local football hero

Examples

  • My dad's younger brother was a high school football hero in 1947.

    Blog text (4)
  • Surrounded by his wife Jean and three kids, the football hero climbed back and found himself at Samford University.

    Blog text (24)
  • Then, when you went back to school, you turned out to be a football hero, too.

  • A football hero, a baseball hero, an officer in the Marines.

  • It takes a football hero to get along with the girls.

  • But will the football hero's actions have an effect on how other kids view Chy?

    Blog text (15)
  • The town celebrated its football hero after he led the team to victory with an incredible performance.

  • As a football hero, she inspired young athletes with her dedication and remarkable skills on the field.

  • Growing up, Jake always dreamed of becoming a football hero, admired for both his talent and sportsmanship.

Synonyms

hero
vsfootball hero
1.1

A person admired for brave actions and good qualities

is admired for sporting skill and achievement rather than courage or nobility
legend
vsfootball hero
256 3.5

A very famous person admired for great achievements

focuses admiration on one sport for skill rather than broad lasting fame
star player
vsfootball hero
13 2.0

A team member who is the best and most important

is admired for outstanding skill in a specific sport rather than general team status

How Admired

legend
256 3.5
football hero
4 2.3
star player
13 2.0

Surface Forms

football hero singular

Morphology

football + hero

The phrase 'football hero' is a straightforward noun-noun combination where the meaning (a football player admired for skill or achievement) is directly compositional from 'football' + 'hero'. This pattern is common across languages and in English, so a B1 learner who knows both constituent words will readily infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

Football hero paints a simple picture: a player who wins the game at an important moment, with football the game and hero the person who 'saves the day' for fans, so the term means 'a player admired for great skill or a big achievement'.