While footballers are bound to represent the nation of their birth or ancestry during the World Cup, fans enjoy the freedom to choose their allegiances. Many supporters find themselves drawn to a particular team, player, or nation. Here, six individuals share their stories about adopting teams that are not connected to their places of origin.
“It was exciting football and beautiful to watch,”t know any other France fans’
Paul, a 63-year-old from Sheffield, began cheering for France during the memorable 1982 World Cup when they reached the semi-finals. “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!’” he reminisces. “Michel Platini, Jean Tigana, Alain Giresse… It wasn’t as thrilling again until 1998. I introduced my four-year-old daughter to football. We had lovely summer nights, eating snacks, cheering along and shouting: “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.””
“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.”
Paul has never looked back on his decision. “I’m from a very small industrial town in Rajasthan,”
Porus Patwari Jain, 31, began watching 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 shares. “Portugal became my chosen team in World Cups,”
His favorite club was Manchester United during Cristiano Ronaldo’s era. “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 explains. “so many moments of distress”
Portugal has since provided him “and I wouldn’t change it for anything else” he adds, “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.” The most recent was their loss to Spain. ‘Staying up to watch was a big deal’
“I cannot be sure Lionel Messi was among them but I like to believe so,”
Iulia, 43, originally from Romania and currently living in Hungary, has been an Argentina supporter since she watched them in the 1994 World Cup. She even caught a glimpse of the team in Budapest last year. “I was 11 and it was a big deal that my parents allowed me to stay up to watch,” she muses.
Interestingly, a match between Argentina and Romania sparked her admiration for the South American squad. “young, impressionable mind” she recounts. Romania stunned Argentina in the last-16 round, winning 3-2. After witnessing Romania’s victory over Argentina, she thought they must be the best team in the world.
In her ‘The US team was never very good’ Iulia believed she was supporting the underdog, thinking Romania was destined for football greatness. Although Romania never achieved that status, Iulia remained loyal to Argentina and celebrated their World Cup victory in 2022, nearly three decades after her initial support for them.
“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.”
“I loved watching Diego Godín, Luis Suárez and all those guys. It was definitely rough to watch Uruguay at this tournament.” says Rachel Fiegler, 38, who resides in New York. “They’re a huge team full of passionate and talented athletes. They really care. I never got that feeling from the men’s team.”
During the 2010 World Cup, Rachel cheered for Uruguay. ‘What they went through resonated with me’ she explains. “Beyond the club link, the story of Dzeko’s childhood really hit home,”
However, Rachel supports the US women’s team. “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,”
“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, a 32-year-old from Jersey, became a fan of Bosnia and Herzegovina after witnessing Edin Dzeko help Manchester City secure the Premier League title in 2012. Dzeko’s journey significantly influenced Oliver’s connection to the national team.
“None of my friends could understand my jubilation,” Oliver states. Dzeko was just six years old when the siege of Sarajevo began, confined to his family’s apartment for four years. He was allowed to play football with neighborhood kids only when the sounds of shelling subsided. “To qualify for the last-32 stage was an achievement in itself, but this is only the beginning.” Oliver emphasizes.
Oliver visited Bosnia last year. ‘Football cuts across all classes in Kolkata’ When Bosnia and Herzegovina qualified for the World Cup earlier this year by defeating Italy on penalties, Oliver was ecstatic. “Kolkata is a football-mad city,” he admits. “Rivalries are drawn between neighbourhoods in Kolkata – you are either Brazil or Argentina.”
“At school the next day everybody was talking about it,”
“We all wanted to know what happened to Ronaldo and Brazil.” remarks Angi, 35, who spent his first 20 years in India before relocating to Toronto. Since India has never qualified for the World Cup, football fans often turn their support to other teams. “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.”
Angi grew up in a family of Brazil fans, who were left in shock when their team faltered in the 1998 World Cup final, losing 3-0 to France. “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.” he recalls. “We all wanted to know what happened to Ronaldo and Brazil.”
Four years later, when Angi was 12, he watched Brazil conquer 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 does not believe India will qualify for the World Cup in his lifetime, there remains a sense of home in supporting 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.”
- World Cup 2026
- World Cup
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Portugal
- features
