#425

Huh?

#426

much appreciated.

#427

Uruguay managed to score eventually.

#428

Ballsy

#429

Seeing a huge amount of England or club debate online. Good in a sense, at least people are feeling a bit of pride, eh. Completely futile question, though, as it’s all relative. If you support a club who’s won shithloads of titles you might take England winning a tournament over one more. The nationwide outpouring of celebration would be lovely, but i don’t know if you suffer following your country like you do your club. You don’t have the day-to-day worries, or it doesn’t really form a part of your personality in the same way. It would appear i’m in the minority, though.

Without resorting to polls, but y’know, using words and that like we used to, given the choice, club glory or national team success? No right or wrong answer, some people might not follow a club, or have several ones they casually follow, or might have the same rational reasons for being national team fan as others do for their club links, etc

The discussions online seem to be roughly 60/40 in favour of country.

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#430

Given I’m a Leicester and Scotland fan, I’d definitely take Scotland winning the World Cup over Leicester winning the PL again. Been there, done that, literally got a t-shirt.

Scotland are never reaching a major tournament again, are they :frowning:

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#431

Club glory any day of any week.

It’s been lovely to feel investment in the national team for a change but even the tensest moments of a national team penalty shootout don’t toy with my emotions in the same way as club football does.

#433

Club for me if I had to choose due to the love/hate relationship with country…

We’ve already discussed about how this is in general the most likeable England team in years, and unusually I don’t feel particularly conflicted this year about wanting them to do well, but despite that the club has far more meaning to me due to the nature of non-league football; the fact that I often know many of the people on the pitch on first name terms and I’m one of the people involved off the field (to varying degrees over the years).

Of course, I’m in the position where the two aren’t mutually exclusive; it’s not like there’s a risk of our players getting injured on international duty or anything!

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#434

Weirdly academic question for me, as neither’s going to happen. Success for New Zealand at a tournament would be qualifying for it. I’d take that over NZ club glory (which is hardly a choice as I’d have to sell my soul to the devil to get Wellington to win something).

Would take a good tourney by NZ over United winning something again, for the same reasons as @incandenza - won everything, can’t be arsed with the managers or the current team direction.

48 teams in a few years, friend. New Zealand will see you there (again).

4 Likes
#435

It’s strange as you would assume that supporters of some smaller, lower league clubs would take success domestically over the national team winning something but that’s not always the case.

For me I’d take an FA Cup win over a World Cup win. It would just mean so much more. The emotional attachment of a lifetime, the few highs but mostly lows. Sure you wouldn’t be able to share it with as many people but it would be so much more personal.

#438

Club over country. I can see how the national team doing well would be nice for the country, and obviously a good international tournament is a wondrous thing, but the emotional attachment isn’t really there. National identity, patriotism etc - those things don’t mean anything to me.

(obviously the level of success comes into it - if we’re talking impossible scenarios I’d take scotland winning the world cup over celtic winning the league, but I’d take celtic winning the European Cup over anything else)

#440

It can’t. That’s life though innit.

Same with sport, same with music, same with TV, same with film. Same with everything.

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#441

yeah, with all due respect it feels like a lot of the people who are England mad now have spent the last 4 years distancing themselves from the national side entirely, can’t be as big a part of your identity really than properly following a club

think the fact that the World Cup takes place over a short period of time, is watched by everyone, & generally feels a bit less toxic and more of a positive celebration of football than e.g. the PL or the Champions League would make winning it feel pretty unbelievable though

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#443

I’d trade celebrating an England world cup win with my old man for just about anything at club level. I’ve already planned an impromptu trip up north if we make the final.

But we’re Man Utd fans so I guess this supports your hypothesis.

#444

nah it’s not, was just responding to bugduv’s first paragraph

#446

Weird thing is, to me it’s felt like the last few international tournaments have been for English football fans first and foremost. This one feels more like the Olympics (not completely, but in part) in that it’s for everyone, regardless of your usual interest in football.

Odd feeling given it’s in Russia which is most certainly NOT an inclusive country.

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#448

its on at a watchable time, during a heat wave :man_shrugging:

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#449

And Wayne Rooney isn’t belligerently shouting down the camera at you

#451

Less bellends in the squad and a likeable manager with the underdog status/redemption narrative that the nation loves to get behind.

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#452

Country for me

Middlesbrough have won precisely one major tournament since 1876. That was the League Cup in 2003-04. As a declining post-industrial town in the north, its fortunes are bleak. Any footballing success would give the town a lift – a brief reprieve from the dole, boarded-up houses and having no money.

A victory for England would surpass all those feelings, I think. Just remember how often 1966 is spoken about. Personally, it would be validation of my faith in the team after many years of disappointment. I never experienced that with my club, as expectations are low.

Additionally, there was always plenty of pride to take from the way the club is operated – at one stage the chairman, manager and physio were all local lads.

I have a lot of pride in my club despite little success. Time to experience what that feels like for the national team

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