This topic was inspired by a Bracket discussion on Farcaster during the Euros, where fans curious about supporting a club wanted to know what factors to consider.
What are the key factors to consider?
Choosing a team to support is complex, and there’s no right or wrong way to go about it. However, there are some common factors and unwritten rules to consider. While you don’t have to follow these rules, be prepared for some judgment if you don’t.
Generally, fans are allowed to support three teams: their country, their local team, and their club team. This applies mostly to fans outside the big European leagues, because in leagues like England or Spain the local team usually equals the club team. For example, if you’re from Manchester, your local team and club team might be Manchester United.
It’s also possible to support two club teams in different leagues, like supporting Arsenal in England and Real Madrid in Spain. While this is allowed, it may be frowned upon by some supporters, much like how some religions allow multiple spouses. Supporting multiple teams also doubles your time commitment, as you end up watching and following both teams.
Choosing a team
The first two are easy to determine: where you were born and the closest local club to where you live. The club team is where it gets tricky.
In my case, I became a Liverpool fan because all my uncles were Liverpool fans, largely because Liverpool was the most successful English club during the ‘70s. Additionally, a girl I liked in primary school was also a Liverpool fan, so it was a no-brainer for me. Many new fans are guided by their dad or uncles and don’t have much choice in the matter of who to support. My apologies to all the young kids being told to support Manchester United or Chelsea, teams that are not currently having the best of times on the pitch.
This made me realise that great clubs become great clubs largely by winning a lot of trophies over a sustained period of time. Today, you’ll find many Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City fans, compared to the old school of Manchester United and Liverpool. Note: clubs like Manchester United, Barcelona, Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich for example have both old school and more recent success.
For the first ten years that I supported Liverpool, they hardly won anything! It was brutal. Thus, when choosing a club to support, selecting a club that has achieved recent success is likely the best way to go. We support teams and athletes because we enjoy watching them win. If you chose to support Manchester City in the English Premier League, you would have celebrated six league titles in the last seven years. Good luck if you chose Tottenham Hotspur instead who havn't won any trophy in the last decade.
Identity & league
Another factor worth considering is the club’s identity and how it aligns with your own identity and values. This includes both factors such as playing style—like favouring teams such as Arsenal with an attractive, attacking style of football— or off the field activities like how the club operates (e.g., oil money or buying success). Ask yourself if the club's identity aligns with your own.
The league is another important factor since you’ll be spending most of your time watching league football. The English Premier League is the biggest league in the world, with the highest intensity football, most money, biggest TV deals, and greatest parity among big clubs. Spanish La Liga has the two biggest and most successful clubs in the world in Real Madrid and Barcelona, the biggest stars, with the most technical and attractive attacking football. Italian Serie A boasts the best defensive football.
Choose wisely
Ultimately, choosing a team comes down to many factors, and it’s not an easy task. If I were a new supporter looking to choose a team, I’d likely be deciding between Arsenal, Real Madrid, Barcelona or Manchester City. Choose wisely because another unwritten rule is that once you have selected a team to support you are are stuck with them.
The unwritten rules of football fans:
You can support 3 types of teams: Country, Club and Local/Community
Once you pick a team you stick with them for life, through good and bad
Support only one team in the main leagues (this rule is very debatable)
Support a team that aligns with your personal values
Support the club over the individual (manager, owner or player)
Share your fan story
If you’re a new fan choosing a club to support for the upcoming season, drop a comment below to let us know who you’re riding with. If you’re an existing fan, share your story about how you chose the club you support and please also share any other unwritten rules.
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