For example when watching international football, do Nordic countries root for each other to perform well over other countries from outside of the region?

37 comments

  1. All the people I know support either the local team, regional power or completely different team from elsewhere in Europe due to being fan of the playstyle, achievements or the particular players.

    Cultural proximity transcending state borders is not a thing where I live.

  2. > do Nordic countries root for each other to perform well over other countries from outside of the region?

    If its not disadvantageous for us if they win, like if we’re already out or in another group.

  3. I’m not much of a sports guy, but many here cheer when Germany or France is losing, like the Scottish and Irish do when England is losing. So it’s rather the opposite. But we cheer for small underdogs, no matter their culture.

    At the same time, there are also people who are big fans of Bundesliga and Ligue 1 teams.

  4. Pretty much most people I know, who are into football are fans of Real/Barca and one of the Priemer League teams.

    Anyway during international events people always root for our team, than Czech team and than whoever they feel like.

  5. The big international ice hockey and football tournaments, sure. If Finland has been eliminated in ice hockey I’ll be glad to see Sweden win. But of course if both teams are still in the tournament, fuck Sweden.

  6. My family and I tend to root for the underdog. It doesn’t really matter if they are geographically or culturally close to us.

    When it comes to football Nordic countries are often the underdog though.. so yes.. I would definitely always root for Denmark, Norway, Finland or Iceland if they face up against countries like France, Spain or England.

    But not because they’re nordic. I would also root for countries like Switzerland, the Czech Republic or Scotland if they played against any of those strong football nations *(except for Germany obviously)*

  7. If our team leaves the tournament before the Polish or Czech team, I support them. Just don’t tell the Poles and Czechs about it.

  8. Not culturally similar, but I was rooting for Iceland big time during UEFA 2016.

  9. I’m not a sports fan, but here in Dutch-speaking Belgium, people tend to root *against* the Netherlands.

  10. I dont think I would root for a German team in UCL, but I like their alpine skiers. But tbf I root for everyone who isnt Swiss/Norwegian in Skiing

  11. In hockey we are almost always right there in the final games. If not I root for the team which has more players I like or the underdog.

    In international football I always pick one of the good countries to root for based on what players each team has in the roster because we are never playing there.

    In NHL I root for the teams which have interesting finns in them and which are from the places I imagine I’d like. Never been to America so I have no real affinity with a certain state or city.

    So I guess I go by pretty randomly. If Sweden were to actually succeed in wc football I’d support them though.

  12. Rule number 1: you don’t root for France
    Rule number 2: you don’t root for England

    Many Italians would add a “you don’t root for Germany”, while I personally stand by a “I don’t root for the US”
    Everthing else is fair game, but I don’t think there’s any strong tendency to cheer for culturally close countries.

  13. As an Englishman, I will always root for the Scots, Welsh and (Northern) Irish, except when they’re playing us.

    I don’t think this is usually reciprocates though.

  15. I’ll support Scotland and anyone who’s playing against England or northern Ireland. I’ll support England if they play against northern Ireland.

  17. General sentiment in Scandinavia: sure, as long as they are not a threat to our team.

    For example, if both a Danish and a Swedish team are in a tournament, I hope the Swedes lose every single match, but if we happen to fail before them, they will suddenly become our dear brothers and sisters, who *of course* have our full support

  18. Not really, there are many teams I root against and obviously root for the teams playing them but then I might root against the very team next time. 😀

  19. Having a Belgian mom and a Dutch father and living 5km from the border, I have the luxary to support both. But my first team will always be NL

  20. In England there is a big thing about the ‘Home nations’ in Scotland there is not quite the same sentiment

  23. >Sports fans, do you root for teams/players from another country that is culturally similar to your own?

    No no no. We cheer when Germany loses.

  24. I think most Greeks (if they have no specific preference to one of the two teams) will root for Italian teams. I don’t think we share the comraderie with other countries. If we are talking football, most people will have a set of beloved teams that they will support (not national teams).

    If we are talking Olympic sports and stuff then yes, we will root for most European countries versus non European, and then neighbours or small countries. Like, if there are American athletes, African athletes, German and Serbian athletes, we would root for them in reverse order.

  25. >do Nordic countries root for each other to perform well over other countries from outside of the region?

    I certainly would cheer for Iceland or Norway or the Faroes or Finland if they were playing in football against a non-Nordic country.

    As for Sweden, well I don’t mind if they win some, as long as they don’t do better than Denmark. I would never cheer for Sweden in a final for the Euros or World Cup, since that would mean they have won a major trophy and would erode some of our bragging rights for 92.

  26. If Wales don’t qualify/ get eliminated from a tournament then I support:

    1) Scotland

    2) Ireland

    3) Whoever is playing against England

  27. If England have gone out I support whichever of the other home nations (Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales) are still involved. If two are playing each other I support whichever isn’t Scotland to get my own back on the “Anyone but England” lot.

  28. As every Italian we root for not-France.

    Every player of not-France deserves respect and admiration and we admire their sport efforts.

  29. As a French, I only root against rivals: England (duh!), Italy, Portugal (our own version of Belgian Seum)

    As a Tunisian I do root for other Maghrebis and Arabs (in this order). In a Morocco vs Algeria I root for Algeria.

  30. Personally I always support Italy in football, when they won the Euro I was almost as happy as I would be if we’d won it

  31. Yes. In Malta, our national football team is one of the worst in the world. We don’t seem to do well in team sports but we often excel in non team sports.

    Roughly half the Maltese population sides with Italy in European and International tournaments and the other half (that includes me) side with England.

  32. It might vary for me depending on what sport but here is my ranking of which countries I support when England aren’t playing in descending order.

    * Another Home Nation like Wales

    * Australia, New Zealand, or Canada

    * The USA

    * France

    * Germany

  33. When Portugal won the euro in 2016, Angolans que celebrating, with Mozambicans, Guineans, Cape verdians, Brazilians, Portuguese communities in Luxembourg, Switzerland, UK, France, Germany were celebrating, even as far as Macau and Timor Leste. It was truly unique.

  34. I´’m always happy to support Faroe Islands or alternatively whoever Denmark is playing against 🙂

  35. In F1 I don’t really care about nationality of drivers I like. In football my “rooting priorities” when eliminating Poland are more or less Western Slavs > Southern and Eastern Slavs (except Russia) > anyone else > Russia. Idk why but I like watching Russians lose. And Germany kinda too.

  37. As Bosnian I certainly root for Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro and to an extend for Slovenia, Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania (latter two maybe due to having lots of friends from there) as long as they aren’t playing against us (or Austria).

    As Austrian it’s basically for anybody who plays against Germany

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