Summary

“Pretending to Know the Words” by Helen Cooper starts with Luis, who is staring blankly at his TV while he sits on his sofa. He thinks about calling his mother and complaining about the house he lives in, but he feels too tired. He switches on the TV and watches the final moments of a football game when the player Recoba scores the winning goal. Feeling envious and depressed Luis goes to the kitchen and cuts himself.

On the football field, Recoba and his teammates start the game. Recoba wants to win the English National Championship, something he dreamed of ever since he was a child in Uruguay. During the match, he is stressed and tense but manages to score the winning goal. Winning the championship, the crowd begins to chant the player’s name. At this time Recoba...