Are you new to the sport of soccer? Have you got quadrennial World Cup fever and want to keep your interest in the game? Do you casually watch soccer year-round, but want to take your support to the next level? Then you need to know how to choose a soccer team to support, and we’re here to help.
Choosing a team to support can be a difficult task. French and Manchester United legend Eric Cantona is quoted as saying, “You can change your wife, your politics, your religion, but you can never change your favorite football team.” It’s not as bad as all that, but it is true that the roller coaster of emotions and memories you experience will vary enormously depending on who you support.
So here’s a handy list of do’s and don’ts when choosing which soccer team to support.
international teams
This facet of world football is easy to tackle. To be direct, just go with your country of origin, the one you live in or feel most associated with, or have family heritage with. It can be tough if you come from a smaller nation or one that isn’t a traditional world power, but international play has immense significance, even if your team never lifts the World Cup.
For the more fashion-conscious fan, there is an often overlooked segment of the international game that can be appealing. There are teams representing states, towns and regions that are not recognized by FIFA. Generally overseen by the CONIFA organization, these teams represent places like Tibet, Hawai’i and Yorkshire. They even have their own World Cup competition!
So find the national team that best represents you, wave that flag, and enjoy the ride!
How to choose a soccer team to support
Choosing a club to support is a much more nuanced and important decision. There are thousands and thousands of clubs around the world, and club soccer is played much more often than the international game. So there are more games to watch, in more competitions, at more times throughout the year. And that means more opportunities for glory… and for misery.
So here are some tips on how to start finding your perfect match:
Location, location, location
I just can’t stress this enough, but there is perhaps no better application for the phrase “support your local” than soccer. No matter where in the world you are, there is a good chance there is a club for grown men and women within a reasonable driving distance.
Yes, following a great club in one of the most important leagues in the world is a fun activity. But there is absolutely nothing that compares to attending in person and being part of the atmosphere and culture of a club. The friendships and memories you make supporting your local club can change your life (it certainly changed mine: I met my wife at a Fort Lauderdale Strikers game).
And if you’re lucky enough to have one or more major professional teams in your immediate area, that’s great too! Between MLS, USL, and NISA, there are 86 professional teams playing (including announced expansion teams) in the US. On the women’s side, the NWSL offers 12 teams with numbers 13 and 14 on the way soon, and coming soon. the USL Super League, which will bring more women’s professional teams across the country.
And beyond the professional levels, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of amateur clubs spread across the continent in leagues such as the NPSL, USL2, UPSL and others, many of which showcase great talent and great atmosphere during tournaments. matches. As places like Detroit and Chattanooga have shown, when the community comes out in force and supports a club, even a small amateur team can have an atmosphere and culture that rivals larger professional teams.
So find your nearest club and check them out, even if they’re just an amateur level team playing in a local park. It can be incredibly rewarding. And if that club is a lower tier national team in the US, most of the time they need your support. Buying tickets, watching matches, even being willing to wear a jersey around town to spread the word can go a long way for a club.
Family Ties: How to Choose a Soccer Team to Support
While you yourself may be new to going all-out to endorse a club, there’s a good chance you have someone in your family or circle of friends who already does. Many people inherit their club from the parents of other family members, and generational support is what drives the club’s long-term support base. Sports fanaticism is one of the greatest bonding experiences family and friends have had in the last two centuries of human development.
Also, having a network of other people, or even just one friend, to get involved in supporting a club is incredibly beneficial. Having your heart set on becoming a Shimizu S-Pulse super fan and staying up late to watch J2 League is great. But with no one to connect with it could be a less than rewarding endeavor. Sure, in the modern world it’s easier than ever to communicate with people from all over the world online, but having an in-person team to share the experience is a whole new level.
Find a club that speaks to you
There are those who say that sports should be sports, and leave politics out. But these two areas of life are often inextricably intertwined at the most basic levels.
Many clubs, or their owners, are outspoken in their support of causes that go beyond the pitch. Human rights, LQBTQ+ inclusion, opposition to war, rejecting obscene commercialism in the modern game: these are some of the issues that many clubs are publicly addressing.
Of course, there are often other, more politically benign activities that clubs participate in. They support local charities, provide supplies to school children, visit hospitals, and other types of community involvement. Take a look at the ways a club reaches out to your community and see if it’s something you can support yourself. On the other hand, keep an eye out for any red flags: the way a club treats its supporters and its community. For example, you might not want to join a club that overcharges its fans and supports something like the European Super League.
Outreach to Supporters
Most clubs have one or more organized supporter groups. For better or worse, these fans can often paint much of a club’s image. Look up the supporters of a potential club. Take a look at their social media channels and website. See what they are doing, when they meet and what they support. Even if a club itself doesn’t actively engage in any political or cultural stance, supporters often do, and can definitely inform whether or not you want to associate with that club.
Even if you are looking to support a foreign team, very often there are groups of local supporters in your area who gather to watch the games. Whether it’s for a club local or far away, there are opportunities to see parties, road trips, party events, and other social outings, so you’ll definitely want to see if there’s a group of like-minded people you can team up with to support together. .
Select by aesthetics
It may seem trivial, but the visual aspect of a club is an important part of its identity and, as a fan, it inevitably becomes part of your identity. And mediocre badge design or fancy kits can easily be a turn-off (just ask Leeds fans and others who have rebelled against the club’s rebranding in the past).
Lacking everything else, find a club with colors and an overall aesthetic that appeal to you. When I was younger, I found myself casually rooting for Wolves and Club America after I was flipping through the leagues in FIFA choosing a team for career mode and liking their logos better.
Those are just a few things to do to help you find a club. But there are also some things you should try to avoid:
Don’t be a glory hunter
It can be tempting to hang on to a perennial winner. don’t do it. Don’t be that person.
If you have a legitimate reason to support a club like Real Madrid, Boca Juniors or Manchester United, then do it! They are wonderful, storied teams with rich fan bases and club cultures. In addition, it is very easy to find team clothes and keep up with the news of a great club. But don’t do it just because they have rooms full of trophies and mountains of cash at their disposal.
Sure, in many leagues there are only a few teams that have a real chance of winning a championship, but don’t pick a team that lives at the top of the table for that reason alone. The joy of winning isn’t so sweet if you’ve proven yourself at every trophy ceremony around the world in a different colored jersey every year. Stick with a club, even in tough times.
Support a club, not the players
No doubt there are more than a few world-class players and exciting personalities who are a joy to follow, but don’t change clubs when they do. The number of so-called “supporters” of teams like Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus has skyrocketed in recent years when Messi and Ronaldo (briefly, in his case) signed to those clubs, and frankly it’s a bit ridiculous.
Players, managers and owners come and go. But a club, its fans and its community are eternal. It’s great if a certain player is your gateway to a club, but stick around for a long time once he’s gone!
Club > League
Don’t be a “eurosnob”. Or MLS-snob, or Brasileirão-snob, etc. What does that mean? Well, in a nutshell, don’t write off a club outright because they don’t play at what you consider to be a decent level.
As noted in the “local support” section above, falling in love with a club can be a wonderful and immensely rewarding experience, even if that club is a local Sunday league team. Even if a club and/or its league seems incomplete and possibly doomed, don’t let that necessarily hold you back. Life-changing moments can await you even if you only make it to one game and then sadly a club folds. Your support can mean the difference between a club ultimately failing in its infancy and surviving to one day become a cultural touchstone for generations.
And in today’s connected world, it can be just as easy to follow your local NPSL team as it is to follow a team in the Premier League or MLS. Every professional club in the US has all of their games available to stream and/or on TV, and many amateur teams broadcast games and also provide live updates on social media.
Also, remember that while one club will ultimately have a special place in your heart above all others, it’s okay to follow more than one. Although soccer is one of the only sports where clubs from around the world can theoretically play each other in competitive matches (via continental tournaments and the Club World Cup), it’s incredibly unlikely that your home USL team and Tottenham ever face each other, which forces you into a conflict of interest.
There’s no right or wrong way to do this, but we hope these ideas help you choose a soccer team to root for. At the end of the day, it’s all about enjoying the game, and following a team is the best way to do that!
