It's the classic problem that swings around every four years. As a football mad fan, you want to show off your incredible knowledge of the game to your mates as a World Cup group stage fixture is taking place on the big screen in the pub. It doesn't matter that the game is between two nations you've never seen before; you know your stuff.
Then the inevitable happens. A big moment occurs in the game, it could be a goal or a red card, but here's your chance. Share your expertise.
Turning to your mate, as he raises a pint to his lips, you explain that he does that all the time at club level. He nods in semi-interest, providing the much-needed validation you sought. Just one problem. "What was his name actually?" he asks.
"Ah shite," you remark internally, curing yourself for picking the one player with consonants all over the gaf.
"Sah, eh... Salz... Salad! His name's Salad. Yep."
You absolute gombeen. Any semblance of respect your mates had for you has surely dissipated with the replacing of a professional footballer's name with a light lunch option.
Now this scenario may or may not have been about Hungary's Adam Szalai and it may or may not have been me who said the did the deed. We'll never know.
But it never has to happen ever again. That's because one of Spain's leading magazines has come up with a genius innovation that should help all football savants traverse the choppy waters of pronouncing the names random World Cup footballers.
MARCA have collated all of the players partaking at this summer's tournament on their website, adding a feature that enunciates each of their names; you can pick literally any player from any team.
From now on you will be able to separate your Abdulmalek's from your Chaalali's with none of the embarrassment of mispronouncing the name in front of your mates. The pronunciator truly is a public service being delivered by our colleagues in Spain.
Now, time to start working on my Polish...
