Why does everyone hate us so much ?!

[englandd]

I’m talking about being English, spent alot of time on the cesspit that is Reddit this World Cup and the vast majority absolutely hate England, I known it stems from the British empire but as far as I’m aware it wasn’t just England who were bad back then was it ? I mean Spain and Portugal took a big part in colonialism too but why is it just the English that gets the hate ?
Last night I would’ve been genuinely happy to support Norway if they went through, I can’t imagine hating another nation so badly. Maybe I shouldn’t take it personally 😆

Aibu ? Do we deserve the hate we get from something that happened hundreds of years ago ? For what it’s worth the British empire were ruthless and I don’t celebrate anything they did, but I also don’t think we should be punished still for something that happened so so long ago.

In my very humble opinion it’s not colonisation. It’s the human instinct to support the underdog and root for the unlikely winner. And in many football competitions national confidence in the English side ‘bringing it home’ etc rubs people up the wrong way.

I think we might get more support from neutrals against Argentina?

Its nothing to do with empire because as you point out loads of countries had them and scotland was very willingly involved in the British one. Its not like everyone hates Germany because nazis.

Its because we're awesome and consistently go our own way, and it doesnt matter what kind of hate we get, we just dont give a fuck. Im guessing from the outside it must be infuriating to watch how nothing ever dampens our self love, but what can we do! People dont like france for the same reason

Im not sure it is because of the British empire. It’s because some British people behave appallingly when they go to other places. My dad follows England home and away, he manages not to get blind drink, insult people wherever he goes or fight. Although this World Cup has been extortionate and terrible for the environment he has had a great time as the coked up knob heads that often go to England games are not there (I’m not going to call them fans as that is offensive to the rest of us who are decent human beings). I assume these people are priced out.

Most of the people on Reddit are American and there seems to be an assumption that the English see the USA as a former colony. This is odd to the English because we don’t. But that’s where the resentment comes from, I think.

It’s the jingoistic way you all bang on about it “coming home”, like England has the absolutely right to win everything - and how incredibly unbearable you will all be if you actually win.

it gives me the shivers.

come on Argentina!

Yeah, its weird isnt it.

You know its just a bit of a laugh and nobody actually believes that, dont you? You know most people watch england play with a tiny spark of hope buried under the overwhelming certainty that we are going to balls it....again?

Because many English football fans are racist thugs who have typically misbehaved in other people's countries probably.

Can you link some examples?

I think the English are also seen as snobs, and Brexit didn't help in that regard!

spent alot of time on the cesspit that is Reddit

You answered your question right there.

Haters gonna hate 😆

I have seen lots of threads too, a lot of people citing the 3 lions song, and "its coming" home, having clearly never listened to the lyrics properly.

The only people who really hate the English are the English who forever want to wear a hair shirt for our colonial past (oh, and Scotland).

We have been a powerful and successful nation - people usually root for the underdog. I never want the US to win for the same reason - they win enough.

I'm Irish and I'm up for England, but kind of clandestinely. I wouldn't be cheering for them in a pub, like, but I'm happy they're through. This may be a poor reflection on me 😁.
Harry Kane is a lovely chap.

🥱 Meanwhile, Morrocan fans...OP, I dont know what you want from this thread. You're going to get the same old boring diatribe. It's a mix of envy and xenophobia.

This! I don't know any English fan who is confident in it coming home. 60 years of hurt!

I don’t in the least hate England, where I lived for years, or have any particular feelings about who wins a football match, but your colonial history is very confused, OP. Bloody Sunday happened within my lifetime, English soldiers shot and killed unarmed civilians, and the Widgery Tribunal was a whitewash. It took till 2010 to have the shootings termed ‘unjustifiable’ and for David Cameron to officially apologise, and only last year was one soldier brought to trial and found not guilty, because the two soldiers testifying against him had previously committed perjury, making them unreliable witnesses. Throughout the Troubles, which ended only in 1998 with the GFA, the British state colluded with loyalist paramilitaries. Colonialism isn’t something from the Age of Exploration.

PPs are right that the overwhelming majority of the world's population don't get irony!

It's sort of amusing that while English is increasingly the global language, idiomatic nuanced English, irony and friendly sarcasm remains baffling for most as it simply doesn't exist as a concept in most other languages!

Yes, the Spanish, French and Argentinians aren’t at all like that at all.
I suppose they will be mildly ashamed to getting so far in the competition and reprimanding each other if they get too excited, god forbid they show any enthusiasm of winning.

See it’s this kind of thing too, you do know every single country in the world has their own (small minority) of complete dickheads supporting their team? You can’t tar the behaviour of some fans onto an entire nation

I thought a lot of the dislike and contempt for the English is to do with their disgraceful behaviour when on holiday in other people's countries.
Including their arrogance in not feeling the need to bother learning other people's languages.

This is probably more relevant than our colonial history, sadly, plus our behaviour sometimes whilst travelling. I don't know that Americans are always thought of incredibly highly whilst travelling the globe for similar reasons. It is groundless prejudice largely but the English have historically rather led the way in global football violence and there are an unfortunate minority who continue to keep stereotypes alive.

Most countries are rightly proud of their flag whereas I would personally be very wary about displaying an English flag at anything other than football as it has become associated with views I don't share, and I don't know any other nation who feels this way. The Scots and Welsh don't, sadly, just a problem for the English.

What I have seen on Reddit mostly seems to come from smug Americans. The colonialism thing is just a convenient excuse for people with no critical thinking skills (the US only expanded from 13 to 50 states because of colonialism!). Some of them extend it to the rest of Europe too. I think it makes them feel better about their sad lives to pretend that other countries have it worse.

I don’t know really, I guess I’m just sick of seeing the same old hatred for the English and can’t wrap my head around it