OT: Who in the World Cup do you root for now?

Submitted by Helloheisman on
With the United States being out of the World Cup, does anyone have an alternative option at hand? Do you go based on family lineage, favorite player(s), or favorite style of play? Of course if you're a citizen or dual citizen of another country it goes without saying. This is really weird for me, as my whole life the USMNT has been in every World Cup. Me? I'm hoping my boys from the Emerald Isle can pull off an upset of epic proportions to make it through the Euro playoff. Being Irish-German, it feels to cheap to throw my hat in for Germany.

garde

October 12th, 2017 at 8:57 AM ^

Well the playoffs aren't over. But if Italy advances, I'll pull for them. And how can you not root for team like Iceland. Also, I will pull for Egypt...if you saw the fan reactions to Salah's last minute penalty for qualification you will see how important this game is to certain countries.

skurnie

October 12th, 2017 at 9:09 AM ^

The Mrs is from Peru and so obviously we're rooting for them to qualify. They should beat New Zealand but it would be Very Peru to lose at this stage. 

Iceland is another favorite simply because their entire nation has the same population as Pittsburgh.

AVPBCI

October 12th, 2017 at 9:20 AM ^

Italy as long as we Qualify

I hate France and Spain and Germany and Mexico so i hope for early exits.

 

No need to worry about England, always overrated , and always choke, just like the way overrated EPL !

 

if Italy somehow does not qualify, than  Iceland or some upstart country

BrownJuggernaut

October 12th, 2017 at 9:27 AM ^

I am an Arsenal fan. I will be rooting for my guys to have a good World Cup. 

I will not root for England. Too many Spurs players.

I will not root for Spain. Too much Barca. 

France will have Giroud and Lacazette. I will root for them.

Germany will have Ozil, Mustafi, and a ton of players I like (I loooooove Thomas Muller). Ozil may not be a Gunner come next year, but he is one of my favorite players. I will root for them. 

Mexico. This is a controversial one but my friend's wife is Mexican and I will root for them for her (death wish). Also, it will allow me to drink palomas. Yes, please. 

Nigeria. Alex Iwobi. Enough said.

Portugal and Argentina. Listen, I know that people are usually on one side of the Messi Ronaldo debate or hate both of them, but they're both amazing. I want both of these teams to do well as a story line and opportunity for one of them to cement their legacy. It will make the World Cup more compelling.

Also, how can you not root for Iceland?

Perkis-Size Me

October 12th, 2017 at 9:29 AM ^

Just good matches, I suppose. Honestly even if the US is in it I really can't pretend that I care all that much. They may have gotten out of their group but they weren't going much further than that. They're just not good enough to go toe-to-toe with, and beat, the likes of Germany, Argentina, and Spain.

It will be a generation or two, at the very least, before the US is good enough to truly compete year in and year out with the best of the best. Soccer is making headway here in the states, but in terms of its popularity right now it's probably a very distant fourth, possibly even fifth behind both baseball and hockey. I don't care enough about soccer to have a favorite team, a favorite player, or know what the hell is going on in any given match besides who's winning and who's losing. I should because its far and away the most popular sport on the planet, but I just don't. 

I'll probably watch the semis and the finals because it's such a large world event, but honestly, don't really give a shit. 

IowaBlue

October 12th, 2017 at 11:00 AM ^

Watch Mexico with intrest, and expect Germany to do what it does/can do.

Otherwise, just find myself watching some random game that I have very little interst or knowledge of the teams/players; but thoroughly enjoy how hard they are playing to represent their country in this great tournament.

 

Go Blue!

chatster

October 12th, 2017 at 11:36 AM ^

Like others here, the USMNT's devastating elimination from the World Cup took away any rooting interest I'll have, so I'll watch the tournament with no real rooting interest.  As some others here have said, I'll be rooting more for good matches than for any specicfic nations.

Also like those of us who root for specific club teams, I'll be rooting for players from the club I support . . . and hoping that none of them suffer any injuries.

Number 7

October 12th, 2017 at 11:51 AM ^

Saw Cameroon play in '94; Had a hard time not rooting for Ghana over the U.S.; Zambia has never made it would be my favorite overall. 

I guess I'll go with the Super Eagles (Nigeria) this time around.

And also Iceland.

Blue Know It

October 12th, 2017 at 12:52 PM ^

Can't stand when the World Cup blue bloods win so I'm going to root for Serbia, Costa Rica, Uruguay, and Belgium.

In reply to by ricosuave

M and M Boys

October 13th, 2017 at 11:12 AM ^

England vs Iceland
Should be played in Ice Picadilly Circus.
All USA officials who take one penny to develop USA soccer should have resigned this week.
CORRUPT For 50 years.....so far.

CR7

October 12th, 2017 at 2:50 PM ^

Mexico being Mexican myself. England because of the handful of United players that'll be there. And generally whoever is exciting to watch.

AmayzNblue

October 13th, 2017 at 10:52 AM ^

French roots. I was in France during the 1996 World Cup. Amazing atmosphere though I didn’t get to attend a game.