Sports professionals can often move to many different countries throughout their careers, so many of them learn multiple languages so they can communicate with their team and at press conferences.

1. 10 sportspeople who speak
other languages

2. Cesc Fàbregas
The Spanish professional
footballer speaks Spanish,
Catalan, English and French.
He has previously played for
Arsenal and Barcelona and is
currently a central midfielder
at Chelsea.

3. Novac Djokovic
The world-class Serbian
tennis player, who resides
in Monte Carlo, speaks
Serbian, English, German,
Italian and French.

4. Arsene Wenger
The current Arsenal manager
speaks English, French,
German, Spanish, Italian and
a bit of Japanese.
He managed at Nancy and
Monaco between 1984 and
1994 and then went on to
manage Japanese team
Nagoya Grampus Eight
between 1995 and 1996.

5. Jose Mourinho
Mourinho is a Portuguese
football manager and former
football player.
In addition to Portuguese,
his mother tongue, he speaks
French, Spanish and Catalan
(after managing Real Madrid
from 2010-2013), Italian (due
to his stint at Inter Milan)
and English (due to spending
6 years managing Chelsea).

6. Zlatan Ibrahimović
The Swedish footballer speaks
Swedish, Bosnian, English,
Spanish and Italian.
He had spells at Juventus and
Internazionale (Inter Milan)
between 2004 and 2008, he
moved to Barcelona in 2008,
back to Inter Milan’s rivals, AC
Milan from 2010-2012 and then
signed up to Paris Saint-
Germain.

7. Gelson Fernandes
Although professional footballer
Fernandes is a Swiss national, his
native tongue is actually
Portuguese.
After playing for Manchester City,
Italian team A.C Chievo Verona,
Sporting Lisbon, German team SC
Freiburg and French club Stade
Rennais (where he is still under a
contract) he also speaks English,
French, German, Spanish and
Italian.

8. Thierry Henry
The retired French
professional footballer speaks
English, French, Italian and
Spanish after stints at Monaco,
Juventus, Arsenal, Barcelona
and New York Red Bulls.

9. Gary Lineker
Lineker, the face of Walkers
crisps and retired English
footballer and commentator,
speaks English, Spanish and
Japanese.
During his football career he
played for Leicester City,
Everton, Barcelona, Tottenham
Hotspur and Japanese team
Nagoya Grampus Eight.

10. Pep Guardiola
Spanish professional football
coach and former player
speaks Catalan, English,
German, French and Italian.
He currently manages German
club Bayern Munich and
previously played for
Barcelona and Italian clubs
Brescia and Roma.

11. Petr Čech
Čech speaks Czech, English,
French, Spanish and German.
The Czech professional
footballer and goalkeeper
played for Rennes and Chelsea
and is currently the goalkeeper
at Arsenal.