While footballers are required to be born in a nation or have family ties to represent it on the World Cup stage, fans are not bound by such limitations. Supporters often gravitate towards a particular team, a prominent player, or an entire nation for various personal reasons. Here, six passionate fans share their experiences of supporting teams unrelated to their place of birth.
“It was exciting football and beautiful to watch,”t know any other France fans’
Paul, 63, from Sheffield, became a France supporter during the exhilarating 1982 World Cup, when the team reached the semi-finals. He reminisces, “Michel Platini, Jean Tigana, Alain Giresse … It wasn’t as exciting again until 1998. I introduced my four-year-old daughter to football. We had lovely summer nights, eating snacks, cheering along and shouting: ‘Allez Les Bleus!’” Stars like Michel Platini, Jean Tigana, and Alain Giresse captivated him, especially when France recaptured that thrill in 1998. Paul fondly recalls introducing his young daughter to the sport, saying, “I don’t know any other France fans. There have been incidents in the past, particularly during the 2004 Euros. At work everybody put a team flag on their computer. I had a France flag and everybody was laughing. France played England in an early game and England were winning 1-0 in the 90th minute, but France won 2-1. The next day, my manager took me aside and said: ‘We’re just sorting out your workstation’. Someone had absolutely demolished it. I wasn’t that bothered.”
Reflecting on his distinct experience as a France fan, Paul notes, “Since Didier Deschamps has been onboard it has been fantastic. Michael Olise is a joy to watch. I feel a brotherhood with him. Everybody thinks you should support or play for England because you’re born in England. Nope.”
Despite facing challenges, Paul has never regretted his choice. “I’m from a very small industrial town in Rajasthan,”
Porus Patwari Jain, 31, began following the Premier League at the age of 11. “There was no football culture there, but there are many people my age who now follow football more actively.” he explains. “Portugal became my chosen team in World Cups,”
His favorite club was Manchester United during Cristiano Ronaldo’s time there. “I started with Ronaldo, but stayed for Nani, Ricardo Quaresma, Pepe and Simão. That team had so much passion and grit. They were not a footballing powerhouse at that time, so the story of a small footballing nation fighting against all odds resonated with me.” he states. “so many moments of distress”
Porus reflects on his emotional connection, admitting, “and I wouldn’t change it for anything else” He specifically recalls their recent loss against Spain. “Ronaldo has played his last World Cup match and I wish him all the best. Hopefully, they will give me the ultimate heartbreak someday, and end up losing on penalties in the World Cup final.”
‘Staying up to watch was a big deal’
Iulia, 43, originally from Romania and now living in Hungary, has been an ardent supporter of Argentina since the 1994 World Cup. She even spotted the team walking through Budapest last year. “I cannot be sure Lionel Messi was among them but I like to believe so,” she shares.
A pivotal match between Argentina and Romania ignited her passion for the South American squad. “I was 11 and it was a big deal that my parents allowed me to stay up to watch,” she recalls. Romania stunned Argentina in the last-16 stage, winning 3-2. After witnessing Romania’s victory, Iulia became convinced they must be the best team in the world.
In her “young, impressionable mind” she felt she was cheering for the underdog, believing Romania was destined to become a football powerhouse. Although Romania never reached that level, Iulia remained loyal to Argentina, celebrating their World Cup win in 2022, 28 years after she first became a fan.
‘The US team was never very good’
“The US team was never very good when I was growing up. I’ve never felt strongly as an American as I was raised to be proud of my Cuban heritage. Cuba is more of a baseball nation. I grew up around a lot of Argentinian friends and family, so naturally became a fan of Argentina. Everyone was so passionate watching them play.” says Rachel Fiegler, 38, a New Yorker. “I loved watching Diego Godín, Luis Suárez and all those guys. It was definitely rough to watch Uruguay at this tournament.”
During the 2010 World Cup, Rachel found herself cheering for Uruguay. “They’re a huge team full of passionate and talented athletes. They really care. I never got that feeling from the men’s team.” she explains. ‘What they went through resonated with me’
Nonetheless, she is a supporter of the US women’s team. “Beyond the club link, the story of Dzeko’s childhood really hit home,”
“I like to root for the underdog and I don’t think there’s any bigger underdog than a group of people who survived something so tragic,”
Oliver, 32, from Jersey, became a fan of Bosnia and Herzegovina after watching Edin Dzeko help his club, Manchester City, secure the Premier League title in 2012. “I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with the place as much as I did. I adored Sarajevo. It’s beautiful. It’s where east meets west. You can stand in the spot where Franz Ferdinand was assassinated. Being a history major, it was weirdly a bucket list destination for me.” Oliver explains. Dzeko was six when the siege of Sarajevo began, confined to his family’s apartment for four years. Only when the shelling subsided could he play football with other children in the neighborhood. “None of my friends could understand my jubilation,” Oliver reflects.
Last year, Oliver traveled to Bosnia. “To qualify for the last-32 stage was an achievement in itself, but this is only the beginning.” When Bosnia and Herzegovina triumphed over Italy on penalties to qualify for the World Cup earlier this year, Oliver was ecstatic. ‘Football cuts across all classes in Kolkata’ he notes. “Kolkata is a football-mad city,”
“Rivalries are drawn between neighbourhoods in Kolkata – you are either Brazil or Argentina.”
“At school the next day everybody was talking about it,” states Angi, 35, who spent his first 20 years in India before moving to Toronto. With India never qualifying for the World Cup, fans often seek other teams to support. “We all wanted to know what happened to Ronaldo and Brazil.”
Angi grew up in a Brazil-supporting family, who were left in shock as their team faltered in the 1998 World Cup final, losing 3-0 to France. “Small neighbourhoods had huge Brazil flags and everybody was watching the game on small screens. Football cuts across all classes in Kolkata. Everyone is watching, dressed in unofficial Brazil tops.” he recalls. “Kolkata and adjoining cities in Bangladesh come alive during the World Cup. I may never be a Brazilian but I will always support the Seleção.”
Four years later, when Angi was 12, he watched Brazil defeat Germany in the World Cup final, with Ronaldo scoring both goals. “Small neighborhoods had huge Brazil flags, and everybody was watching the game on small screens. Football cuts across all classes in Kolkata. Everyone is watching, dressed in unofficial Brazil tops.”
Although Angi doubts that India will qualify for the World Cup in his lifetime, he feels a connection to Brazil. “Kolkata and adjoining cities in Bangladesh come alive during the World Cup. I may never be a Brazilian, but I will always support the Seleção.”
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