This is the 11384th most frequent German word.
spiel
"Spiel" means "game" or "play" in English.
In this sentence, 'Spiel' is a noun referring to a game or match that was thrilling.
Das Spiel war spannend.
The game was exciting.
Here, 'spielt' is a verb form of 'spielen', meaning 'to play', indicating the activity of playing.
Er spielt jeden Tag Fußball.
He plays soccer every day.
In this case, 'Spiel' refers to a figurative or creative use, describing an interplay of words or concepts.