AIBU to wonder if anti-English feeling is mostly about sport

[Batsratscatsgnats]

If you support anyone but England in football or other sports do you dislike English people generally or is it just in sports?

If anything is going to push me over into "ABE" territory, it's the entitled view of a minority of England fans demanding that rival fans wish them well.

Get over yourselves, for the love of god.

Scottish person here who supports England all the way. I think it makes a difference if you’ve lived there (I have) but I’m pretty sure even if I hadn’t I would support England as we are all UK and I totally feel it’s a win for us all. So delighted with last night’s match 💪

I heard the opposite myself.

Presumably not in the case of the New Zealander I encountered, who was wearing a T shirt saying, ‘I SUPPORT NEW ZEALAND - AND WHOEVER IS PLAYING AUSTRALIA

Meanwhile Dutch YouTube keeps trying to show me "scary" videos of Moroccan fans in the Netherlands "celebrating" their teams successes. Often with captions that imply it's a riot, or sarcastic comments about "doctors and engineers integrating so well".
Because for some reason, Dutch YouTube algorithms really want to push a narrative that being enthusiastic about football to the extent of dancing down the streets and setting up fireworks is a strange foreign thing in the Netherlands/Europe. And it'a odd because you would have to know nothing at all about football or have been born yesterday to not know enthusiastic fans (and occasional violence though I don't think the Moroccans were violent) combined with shit talking other teams is par for the course.

Likewise the people trying to imply that "bragging" and being "obnoxious and loud" are these uniquely English traits that other countries shudder at. They are not. We behave pretty well compared to other countries (and our own past behaviour). But all countries with a strong football culture get carried away with optimism at the WC.

Really? I was never taught about Owain Glyndwr at any point in my education. At aged 5 I was taught to say in Welsh Teddy is sitting on the chair and Teddy is sleeping in the bed.

Funny the Boston people weren't bothered about Scots cutting down England flags. Imagine if it had been the other way round.

Nobody is demanding you support England though at least on this thread. You're making that up!

I’m Scottish and have lived in England for a long time. Have great friends of multiple nationalities. With regards to sports (and I hate football) the reason there is anti English views is the media. Being told you are inferior, drunken idiots and overall bias to England just rubs everyone up the wrong way. The press and pundits should be ashamed of themselves. However it’s really noticeable this World Cup how few England flags are being displayed compared to previous tournaments where I live.

I think the question is though, "Why not anyone but England?" You're expecting Welsh or Scottish people to feel more affinity for England than any other country other than their own.

Why would they?

You wouldn't, for example, expect France to support Spain over Japan, just because both France and Spain are in the EU, so why would you expect a Welsh person to support England when they're not English?

I have dual nationality so I automatically cheer for my other national team unless it's a sport they don't do or are rubbish at.

But - for football - I cheer for whoever plays against the English as I find the whole attitude to football in England about it so over the top, I just don't like it.

Football is not a big thing in our house, I grew up with a football loving mum so watched games on TV religiously but I just can't find any particular interest in it personally.

I just dont understand what you're complaining about, and yours is not the first thread on the topic.

Some fans of sports teams (nations or clubs) root against their rivals - stop the presses!

Its only England fans like yourself who I see whinging about it. It reeks of arrogance and entitlement tbh.

No i wouldnt expect France to support Spain over Japan but id be surprised at anyone but Japan. Thats the difference.

Is it akin to Cornwall who feel different to the rest of England? Own language etc? Though they actively seem to dislike incomers/‘Emmets’.

I have to say, I dislike all this division; it’s a shame.

I have never seen anything as toxic as the english and football. Where I come from it's a game and it's treated as such. The english see it as a religion and something very personal and important. It's people kicking a ball around a field..They seem to forget that.

Yes but that’s just “sibling rivalry” we dig at each other all the time but Australia and New Zealand are family.

Probably because it was invented here.

This is a really good point

When Wales made the semis of the Euros, a lot of English fans (not all by any stretch) were rooting against us, and rejoiced in our loss - because we'd have been insufferable.

No complaints, here - I wouldn't have it any other way.

It's just sporting rivalry, and is part of the fun.

England fans just aren't used to it the other way around because the rest of the UK nations are seldom relevant when it comes to having a shot at winning.

Same in the UK, and most other places in the world.

Well fair enough if thats what you've seen. I live in England (London) and I HAVENT seen that at all. Genuinely.
It IS the most popular sport but thats true in a lot of countries.
Sweeping statements like yours are a bit pointless arent they. I mean we could just state anything and back it up with no examples.

It’s 100% a post-colonial hang-up here in Ireland, rather than anything to do with current English attitudes to sport, or indeed English people as individuals. Rightly or wrongly the Welsh and Scottish would be seen as having suffered similar oppression by England, so there isn’t the same antipathy to those nations.

When the tartan army arrived in Boston they were charming and welcomed warmly. When the English fans arrived they were rudely chanting anti-Scottish chants. They were so badly behaved some Boston pubs closed in order not to serve them. English fans are awful compared to the Scots.

I am a Londoner. But don’t drive a big car and live in an ordinary borough with a great community feel. Everyone is welcome. I love it.

London can be busy and dirty etc. I completely understand why others don’t like it and don’t want to live here. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. Ideally everyone would live where they want to of course.

I don’t mind criticism of London. It’s not for everyone! And I hated the parents with the huge cars on the school run. There is no need in London zone 2!

Do you have any history at all?If you did this would not be difficult to understand.