Those Hating on International Football

I was wondering if those muppets saw the scenes at various cities all around the world last night ?

Sarajevo hasn't seen anything like that before. Bosnian politicians described last night as the most important in Bosnia's ENTIRE HISTORY.

The reaction of Icelandic players in Oslo when they found out Switzerland beat Slovenia was another one. More than 1% of the ENTIRE Icelandic population travelled to Norway to watch the game.

Poland were eliminated, Yet their fans at Wembley created a fantastic atmosphere, proud of their country and at times it felt like England are the away team.

Panama players were slamming their head against the wall after their collapse. The commentator of Mexico game was losing his voice, screaming as he is being analed. Just incredible scenes, outstanding drama.

Do you remember North Korean player crying when his national anthem was being played in South Africa?

How about the look on Morten Olsen's face? Knowing it was probably his last game at charge of Denmark after 12 years and they missed out on play-offs due to conceding an injury-time goal. It was so sad to see.

and many many more examples....isn't it what football should be all about? Emotions, Drama, Making history, love for the game??? so why do some people international football is beyond me.


It's boss, and I can't wait for Brazil WC and the final Draw.

I have been converted again..... i can't wait for the WC.

F*ck clubs

Its the friendlies that are often crap, and bring injuries.

I don't think anybody here has hated on the amazing tournaments that we get to see every 3/4 years in each continent or the WC. It's the unnecessary friendlies who not even the teams contesting it care for.

International football sucks and what you mention are just pathetic expressions of nationalism that I can't wait for them to disappear in this world populated by just one human species.

But friendlies are necessary for international teams to bond and gel. Just like pre-season for club teams.

P.S. Those so called "useless" friendlies played a decisive role in Netherlands and Italy being unseeded and Switzerland seeded. so nothing is useless or pointless.

Not a single game is useless in International level. As opposed to club level.

Even last night, all International teams wanted to win, in order to boost their seedings chances prior to Euro 2016 qualifying draw which will take place in February.

I can't wait for the World Cup. The mood today was amazing at every single place i went to. Even people who don't watch football were talking about the World Cup with passion (from England's POV). I know it's nothing since we should be qualifying as a 'big' Nation but you are spot on with everything. The scenes when Ghana beat Egypt yesterday. Mexico.

Very well said Sepi. Looking forward to Brazil in 7 months

It's a coincidence that the majority of the ones who hate International football are Barca/Messi fans ?

What Sepi mentioned exists for club games too. I really don't see the difference. Club games too capture all the drama, emotions, history etc.

I enjoy international games as much as most football fans, but it is difficult for me to say that the international games offer better quality than the club games.

Maybe if they played more internationals together and less club games the situation would reverse. But right now players play more club games and hence it is just better than international games with respect to quality on offer.

It's mostly people who have some kind of nationalistic agenda that doesn't fit a specific nation or their nation's situation that dislike NT football... in the case of Barca fans who are from the area, it's their dislike of Spain and their support for the independence of Catalonia.

If that's not it, then they're mentally ill

The WC is the most watched and popular event in the world... dwarfs the Olympics.  The Olympics is hosted by a city.  The WC is hosted by a whole country (or several countries in the case of Japan/S Korea).  Even in the US, the WC was the biggest event held there in people's eyes... and that's telling you something.  

The average attendance in the US per game for 1994 WC was 69k per game and total attendance was 3.6 million... both of which are WC records.  There was no internet back then and TV didn't cover European footy at all.  Footy was also nothing as the US had no pro league until after that WC.  Also, the tournament was 24 teams back then... now it's 32 and the record still stands.

A lot of it has to do with facilities... I understand that.  Every stadium used had 90+k capacity. But still.

Truly incredible.

The debate and what a majority of posters here claimed is the International Football (but more specifically the World Cup) isn't important and that the champions league is better.

Which clearly it isn't.

Do you think Casillas would have preferred to win La Decima or the first World Cup for Spain?

Good thread.

International football is the heartbeat of football. Pretty much all sports have international competitions and in most of them it is the most prized award. That's how it should be in football, too. Like winning Olympic gold in a major sport.

What comes to friendlies, they could be scrapped for NT training camps, imo. For the NTs to work on tactics.

Also, international football attracts audience who are not that interested in club football.

Valkyrja wrote:It's a coincidence that the majority of the ones who hate International football are Barca/Messi fans ?

only freecat said anything negative of the international football suddenly that stands for Messi fans and Barca fans?
you try too hard stay safe plz.

I always enjoyed international football . Even when Greece were none existant (not that currently we are anything special just saying lol) i couldn't wait for the Euros and especially the World Cup.  What Sepi says is very true actually and i agree . International football always was and still is a spectacle and not necessarily for football fanatics .

However , i won't pretend i care much about the friendlies , even though i've sit down to watch enough of them over the years. In any case . Supporting your club is awesome , but supporting your nation in a tournament is something else entirely .
Having said that , i can understand people who ditch international football . If you grow up in a country like Lithuania or Lichtenstein , San Marino ( just using examples ) e.t.c , N.teams who have never been a powerhouse or at least competent at some point in time , obviously those people have a fair alibi and you can't really blame them for anything . It's very possible that many of us who can't wait for international football , we would have the same kind of approach if we were in their position .

And i also agree to what Freecat said , up to an extent. Yeah , indeed nationalism plays a part . But it is a sport above all and it is supposed to bring different kind of people together , different cultures and ideas , to unite with a few words. So , i can live with a "few" idiots who find the opportunity to express their nationalism and patriotism on the occasion . There are so many good stuff you get to see or learn through international football , whatever that may be and it cannot be that we should go against international football just because of flawed ideals trying to express themselves through football. Nationalism is something that was born outside of football and football as a sport has nothing to do with it , nor should it pay for nationalistic expressions in whatever form , at any rate .

But the thing is , when your national team achieves something , this inevitably brings great joy to the people , it just what it is and you can't just erase it , even if it is seen as an expression of nationalism . I've seen stuff in the summer of 2004 , when fkn Greece won the Euro , that i am pretty sure i will never witness again. Those days were priceless , i cannot express what it was like to win against a team like France at the time and watch a whole city celebrate untill dawn , i am talking about normal people here , not just the fanatics. Priceless. That happened almost everywhere in the country . For days and days .

Only international football can give you something like that and even from a sporting pov , we've witnessed some of the greatest stuff in the history of the game through international football. For all the glamour and whatnot clubs offer each season , international football should stay as the most cherished part of football , not because of bs nationalistic reasons but for the pure joy and spectacle it brings in every corner of the world. If that means we have to endure a few friendlies and a few boring international breaks , then so be it.

I don't hate International football, but if I had to choose it is a no brainer. Football at club level is better, which is what I enjoy. Nationalism? In the UK? The UK is more broken than Messi on football manager. If the world cup got cancelled I wouldn't give 2 shits. Countries* are just a joke. Bar the borders can anyone name anything here that all British people have in common bar binge drinking? I have lived here all my life and I have yet to come up with anything. I will watch the WC but I don't care much for international football.

I understand Free_cat's mentality. There is reason why Pique shouted in the tunnel during el classico we will win your trophy. Catalans (especially all I have met don't consider themselves spanish, which is fair enough).

Lastly, FIFA as an institution that doesn't even attempt to hide their corruption puts me off tbh.

I don't see the reason why you would have to make a choice in the first place . That's football too , you don't have to take sides , even when you love your club more than your NT . I am sticking with the sporting part here , because glory-for-the-country , " NT , our pride " and the likes , yeah i too don't give a shit for all that , agreed .

I also understand what Free cat says. From that point of view , i wouldn't care either , i even get pissed when i see nationalistic stuff in football . But truth is , whenever i get to see international football , i almost always enjoy it and that's what i care for , enjoying a game . Can't care less for the rest ..

As for the World Cup , well i think i've even counted the days when the season ended last time , lmfao . You get to see so much football from every corner of the world , so many cultures come together , great games , you get to learn stuff about other cultures and see so many different players all the time , some great teams and much more . I can't complain really.

Having said all that , i'd say with all honesty , i don't even care how Greece does in the WC , even though i would like the nt to participate in Brazil . I would still enjoy the competition throughout and i have many times , whenever we didn't reach a competition or got ourselves kicked out early . Even before Rehagel's team , WC and Euros were something extraordinary in my eyes . There's no need to have a nationalistic approach or come from such a nation with stronger bonds for national matters , to enjoy international football. Albeit i could argue it somewhat still happens from where i come from , i must say , there was always great passion for those competitions around here , even before Greece got better and had the chance to be a part of those.

It's not nationalism which makes you care about international football. Club or international football , it's still football in my eyes. I see no good reason why i shouldn't enjoy all the spectacle , regardless of what my country does , or is . Hell with that team we have we should better stay at home and spare ourselves the embarrasement , lmfao . I would still watch the WC with great desire.

I dont hate international football, that was what I first watched as a kid. But I think your blind or I dont know what if you cant see that

A. The level is lower. They train much less often together so its nobody's fault but sometimes it impacts on the games. Disjointed and inconsistent performances you see very often.

B. There are far too many meaningless friendlies which do nothing but fatigue players who already play too much.

If people want to celebrate their nations and band together as a country, go for it. But not everyone gives a f*ck. Im a world citizen, I could care less who wins.

I still watch every major tournament, because I love football, but thats it.

3.2 billion people watched the WC final on TV in 2010....  360 million watched the CL final this past summer. That's a 10x factor.

Nuf said

Sources:
http://metro.co.uk/2013/05/28/wembley-champions-league-final-attracts-global-audience-of-150million-3811469/
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/southafrica2010/organisation/media/newsid=1473143/

sportsczy wrote:3.2 billion people watched the WC final on TV in 2010....  360 million watched the CL final this past summer.  That's a 10x factor.

Nuf said

Sources:
http://metro.co.uk/2013/05/28/wembley-champions-league-final-attracts-global-audience-of-150million-3811469/
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/southafrica2010/organisation/media/newsid=1473143/

but who was money? What generates more money? What do you think players would choose? Where is the better football?

Sports pls

WC generates 10000x more money than CL. It's an absolute cash cow.

You do realize that advertizers pay based on eyeballs, right? If you want, i'll dig up the revenue figures.

It's widely know that WC sponsorship, advertising and TV rights are the most expensive of any entertainment event in the world, not just sports.

Thanks for playing though guys. See you next week

The Franchise wrote:I dont hate international football, that was what I first watched as a kid. But I think your blind or I dont know what if you cant see that

A. The level is lower. They train much less often together so its nobody's fault but sometimes it impacts on the games. Disjointed and inconsistent performances you see very often.

B. There are far too many meaningless friendlies which do nothing but fatigue players who already play too much.

If people want to celebrate their nations and band together as a country, go for it. But not everyone gives a f*ck. Im a world citizen, I could care less who wins.

I still watch every major tournament, because I love football, but thats it.

The last sentence is all you need , all the rest don't really matter more than that . You could come from everywhere and describe yourself whatever you want , football is football and that's all that matters in the end. It's the game we watch , those who measure dks don't even deserve a mention. I too want to consider myself a citizen of the world and for that reason i feel whatever brings people together in football should be cherished , if anything.

lol you win more money qualifying to the WC than winning the CL..

2010 WC made FIFA 3.64 billion USD for FIFA.

For CL in 2012 (2013 figures not yet out), UEFA gathered revenue of 1.58 billion USD

Sources:
http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/finances/income.html
http://www.uefa.org/MultimediaFiles/Download/EuroExperience/uefaorg/Finance/01/95/54/65/1955465_DOWNLOAD.pdf

I don't watch football for level or quality of it.

I watch it for drama, excitement and emotions involved in it.

I guess it depends why you were drowned into the sport at the first place.

And it's all cute acting socialist being World Citizen, but the reality is different. Everyone has bonds and ties with some nations more than others no matter how hard one tries to deny it.