international match
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international match
A sporting competition, especially in football, between the national teams of two different countries.
Am Samstag findet das Länderspiel zwischen Deutschland und Frankreich statt.
On Saturday, the international match between Germany and France will take place.
'Länderspiel' (international match) is a compound noun made up of 'Länder' (plural of 'das Land' = country) and 'das Spiel' (game/match). The 's' in between is a linking s, which connects the two words. Literally, it means 'game of the countries.'
Das Länderspiel war ein spannender Wettkampf zwischen zwei Nationen.
The international match was an exciting competition between two nations.
To name the opponent in a 'Länderspiel' (international match), the preposition 'gegen' (against) is almost always used. This construction is very common in sports news.
Das nächste Länderspiel der deutschen Mannschaft ist gegen Spanien.
The German team's next international match is against Spain.
The term 'Länderspiel' (international match) is used exclusively for matches between national teams. Matches between club teams from different countries, such as in the Champions League, are not called this.
Für das Länderspiel wurden die besten Spieler des Landes nominiert.
The country's best players were nominated for the international match.
game / play
'das Spiel' and 'das Länderspiel' can both mean a sporting contest. 'das Spiel' is the general term: it can refer to soccer, tennis, or other sports, and also to clubs or individual players. 'das Länderspiel' is more specific and means a match between national teams from different countries, especially in soccer. Learners may confuse the words because an international match is always also a game or match. When national teams play against each other, 'Länderspiel' is the more precise choice.
Wir haben am Wochenende das Länderspiel im Fernsehen gesehen.
We watched the international match on TV at the weekend.
Das Spiel gegen den Nachbarverein beginnt um drei Uhr.
The game against the neighboring club starts at three o'clock.