Anyone but England? The bitter truth about football rivalry in the UK

The international rivalry is the same as club rivalry. Without the rivalry, we have nothing. It's what it's all about isn't it?

"My club/country is better than yours!"

I'm Scottish and don't mind if the England team wins. (The country I really hate are already out....hurrah!)

What I wont be looking forward to if they win is the media ramming it down our throats every chance they get.

Geez...they're still gassing on about 66.

Let's be brutally honest; this England side is nothing special. They got to the semi-finals via a pretty easy route. You can hardly include players like the hapless Raheem Sterling in the same class as Messi or Ronaldo!

The English are happy when the other nations of the UK do well - good luck to them.

You can hardly include players like the hapless Raheem Sterling in the same class as Messi or Ronaldo!

But, like it or not, soccer is still a team sport , and the team is only as good as the sum total of ALL it's parts.

England is still playing, and I am quite certain that both Argentina and Portugal would more than ecstatic to still be playing, whether those two were playing or not.

Sour loser it sounds to me.

kawabegawa198 - the England side are much better than they've been for a very long time and were very good against Sweden. I agree with you on Sterling though, he always seems not quite sure what to do every thime he receives the ball in the box.

Just a little bit of rivalry. We Dutchies have the same with Germany or Belgium, more with Germany because of our history. I think each country has a little bit of rivalry with its neighbors. As long as it stays friendly, its all good and fun.

Anyone in the UK supporting Croatia over England tomorrow is just a bitter, resentful and sad twat. The Scottish way of doing it for a joke is fine and jolly, like the New Zealand - Australia thing; but we both know deep down that we are made from the same stock. Ok , us Aussies never found the fondness for sheep our brave cousins did, but that's fine. Would still support the Kiwis over anyone really.

Haters gunna hate innit.

Go ENGLAND!!!!

I have always said that with Internationl football, there should be one united team - United Kingdom.

Great players could then be brought in from all 4 corners of the Kingdom.

Anyone in the UK supporting Croatia over England tomorrow is just a bitter, resentful and sad twat.

Why? They might have Croatian links, family.

Or, they might just be bored with arrogant, angry England supporters...

but we both know deep down that we are made from the same stock.

What does that mean? We're all human, we all came from Africa and we all can chose who to support in the World Cup.

I wish both teams an exciting game and may the best one win.

I don't have a real preference with this final 4. I wish a South American team was there to add a bit of style and flair. If I had to choose, I'd say Croatia since they've yet to win it and they underachieved in recent tournaments.

You can hardly include players like the hapless Raheem Sterling in the same class as Messi or Ronaldo!

Ronaldo and Portugal were knocked out by Uruguay, who were themselves knocked out. Both Messi and Argentina were very poor in Russia. Raheem Sterling is in the semi-final of the World Cup and plays for the premier league champions. I don't get your point?

but we both know deep down that we are made from the same stock

Yep. Both English and Scottish made from good old homemade Scandinavian Viking, Italian Roman, and French Franco stock...

Yep. Both English and Scottish made from good old homemade Scandinavian Viking, Italian Roman, and French Franco stock...

Not to mention the celts, who originated from central and eastern European. If we're getting all DNA about it ;-)

I'm a Scot but I also wish them well... what I can't stand are the arrogant English commentators and the yobbish fans - at the weekend there was an ambulance destroyed in England by yobbos 'celebrating'.

A while back Scottish fans were seen as the scourge of UK football... the English fans took that crown some years ago... I'm just surprised they haven't had running battles with opposing fans in the streets of Moscow... from that perspective they've shown remarkable restraint.

Still I can watch the games with the volume turned down...

Roll on the rugby world cup... a more enjoyable tournament ^_^

The English are happy when the other nations of the UK do well

I couldn't possibly comment; I'm only in my fifties. I think I'd be happy, if it ever happened....

Not to mention the celts, who originated from central and eastern European. If we're getting all DNA about it ;-)

From Scythia apparently according to the Declaration of Arbroath and by way of Spain. That suggests they passed through Croatia on the way, presumably picking up some traits (amongst other things) on the way. Clearly the name Mactavish was once Mactavic. That's good enough for me.

Great players could then be brought in from all 4 corners of the Kingdom.

Yes, imagine the talent from England plus Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey on the bench.

Clearly the name Mactavish was once Mactavic....

Yep. The -ic ending is a dead giveaway for Scotland. Just ask my mate Ally Cohol....

It's normal, healthy rivalry. It happens everywhere. I have particular clubs I don't like and rejoice when they lose. Especially west ham.

Anyway, when is the glorious day when the north of England separates itself from the south coming?

I’d take great pleasure in watching the brave Morris dancers get knocked out.

I can’t see anyone wanting Birmingham. Who was the last decent player out of Brum?

@Jim

Arthur Brown was a real star. Played for Villa in the 1880s. And England.

Nothing much since....

Clearly the name Mactavish was once Mactavic. That's good enough for me.

Not quite... the Mc and Mac in Scotland and Ireland mean 'son of'... the Gaelic spellings are different. The ending 'ic' in Slavic type names means the same thing apparently.

Anyway, back to the story... and let's see how England fans cope with losing. (We Scots have had decades of experience hahaha)

The English are happy when the other nations of the UK do well - good luck to them.

You reckon? In my experience, massive football/sports fans do not jump on the old enemy's bandwagon once their NT/club's been eliminated (they just don't 'support' anyone else full stop). The only ones who do are 'casual/fairweather' sports fans (nothing wrong with that) who only watch major sporting events (wc, olympics) or ppl who aren't 'that' much into football/rugby/league etc (i could pretty much support anyone in the NFL or MLB).

It's normal, healthy rivalry. It happens everywhere.

Exactly

brutally honest; this England side is nothing special. They got to the semi-finals via a pretty easy route.

Germany in 2002 had an arguably easier ride but got no stick. It’s a tournament - doesn’t matter who you face if you get the result.

(Just wish Turkey were there but oh well...)

The English are happy when the other nations of the UK do well - good luck to them.

I think that’s true recently because Scotland, Wales and N Ireland have been mediocre at best ( Wales had a very good Euros mind ). Maybe if they improved, there would be a rivalry to speak of and more to dislike.

I remember one Man City fan telling me he likes Everton. I’m sure he’d change his tune if we started winning things.

You shouldn't confuse a few hundred, noisy, bitter, racist, loudmouthed, aggressive Scots, or Welsh, for the majority of the population. It might make for a good story, but it isn't actually true.

As England are the only home nation which has qualified for the World Cup, then they are, by default, representatives of the whole of the UK. So all patriotic Britons should support them - and will be doing so.

Yes, there is friendly rivalry between the home nations, and that is normal and fine, but at the end of the day we are one country and we are united.

@Bill

That’s like saying Millwall fans should support West Ham in a cup final, because they both represent London.

Unlikely and uncomfortable.... : )

@Bill Adams

That’s the spirit.

I just think taking the piss out of the bitter Scots and Welsh bleating about an easy path to the final, making erroneous predictions and generally Neymaring is all part of the fun. To be honest, I can’t stand patriotic nonsense and this is more enjoyable for me than England’s run itself.

I wish Pickford wasn’t playing so well. He’s on the radar of the money clubs now.

I just noticed the erotic overtones of the photo above. Oooh, come on England!

Sorry! I guess we're all suffering withdrawal symptoms. Three days without a match.

What is noticeable by it's absence is no mention made on the BBC about Scots fans supporting anyone but England. They do not want to stoke the fires. The FACT is that this is racism and xenophobia - pure and simple. But nobody will condemn it.

So all patriotic Britons should support them - and will be doing so.

Might want to revise that idea when it comes to the citizens of NI/6 counties.