Sending our praise to those who make international football a proper celebration
Let’s face it. International football rarely provides the atmosphere you can find in club competitions. There are many reasons for it. With national teams not playing as often as clubs, the fans meet less and are less organized. Another argument could be that people feel stronger local patriotism towards their city or town rather than their country. Most nations don’t have Ultra firms like certain clubs. If you want to find great choreo and passionate, 90-minute singing, go to a Borussia Dortmund match and not to a Germany match. That being said, national teams have a special, different, and more positive kind of atmosphere to them, and the World Cup is the best stage for them to showcase.
5. The Netherlands
Swarms of orange in the stands have become a trademark of Netherlands games in big tournaments. They’re well organized, have fantastic costumes, and usually accompany themselves with a few wind instruments to support their players with rhythm and music. Having missed out on Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup, we got a great reminder of the appeal of the Oranje during Euro 2020, where the Dutch played both at home and in Budapest.
4. Morocco
Moroccan clubs have some of the top fanbases, inspiring fans worldwide to rip off their tunes, and the Casablanca Derby is a bucket-list staple for Ultra aficionados. The fans traveling to support the national team don’t provide that atmosphere level, but they bring a nice portion of the rhythm and passion identified with their club football.
3. Australia
According to different surveys, football might not even make the list of top five popular sports in the land of down under. Considering that (and the minor issue that they ALWAYS have to travel a long distance), the fact that hordes of supporters usually accompany the Socceroos is enough to give the Aussies well-earned praise. Adding to that, they are simply fun to be around. The beers flow, the spirits are high, and you can expect a party wherever they go.
2. Mexico
Whereas their team leans towards mediocrity and underachievement, Mexico fans always deliver. They also travel in large numbers, bringing the full package of traditional costumes, loud singing, drinking, and even going as far as opening their own bar in the last World Cup.
Their bond with South Korean fans after the far-eastern nation helped them secure qualification to the Round of 16 was one of the memorable moments from Russia 2018. If you’re a neutral fan, do your best to attend a Mexico game. Good luck with finding tickets, though.
1. Argentina
Remember what we wrote about the gap between club football supporters’ intensity compared to national teams? When it comes to Argentina, forget all about that. Whereas most national team fanbases have only a handful (at best) of simple support chants, the Argentines go on and on for 90 minutes, with verses, choruses, and the whole shebang.
They bring the atmosphere to the airports, the streets, and the stands. Anyone in the vicinity of Argentina fans or lucky enough to attend their match is in for a treat. Alongside their team’s brilliant form in the past couple of years, La Albiceleste fans provided us with a good preview of what’s to come with their London takeover during the Finalissima match against Italy.
