Have you ever wondered why some countries dominate football matches? Now you know that you don’t have to look far to discover the answer. Football fans love their country and they want to see it succeed. That means that they’re likely to support its national team at every opportunity. This article gives a breakdown of the top 11 soccer nations.
Australia
Aussie rules football and rugby union are more popular than soccer down under, but the sport does boast several talented athletes. Some familiar names include Tim Cahill, Mark Viduka, Harry Kewell, Archie Thompson, Brett Emerton, Ned Zelic, Andrew Sorensen, Terry Antonis, Harry Symonds, Craig Moore, Steve Horvat, Daniel Mullen, and Simon Colosimo. On the international stage, the Australian national side has never qualified for a major tournament, although they did finish runners-up at the 2003 OFC.
Portugal
Another European power that isn’t afraid to experiment with new styles of play, Portuguese clubs have produced dozens of stars over decades. Players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Rui Costa, Nani, Deco, William Carvalho, Simao Sabrosa, Pepe, Ricardo Carvalho, Hugo Viana, João Pinto, Paulo Future, etc., have established themselves as key members of their respective teams.
Russia
Russia may be geographically located next to Europe, but they do not share a common language with the continent — making communication difficult. Despite these challenges, the Russians have managed to excel within the world of soccer. Players like Roman Shirokov, Aleksei Berezutskiy, Georgy Chulkov, Dmytro Chygrynskyi, Pavel Mamaev, Sergei Ivanov, Andrei Kanchelskis, Igor Denisov, Dmitri Sychev, Fedor Smolov have proven the talent of their nation.
Mexico
Soccer fans in Mexico love nothing more than watching their home teams play against one another. Although many players are very good, the Mexican National Team hasn’t been able to compete at an international level since 1986. But Mexico isn’t just about the pitch — there’s also an incredible fan base that loves every minute of the action. Even though the country only boasts 80 million inhabitants, it can still claim over 200 million supporters. Most Mexicans follow the games by tuning into Univision or Televisa.
Belgium
Belgian soccer has a reputation as being one of the most entertaining leagues to watch. As well as witnessing some excellent performances from local sides like Club Brugge and Standard Liege, visitors to the country will get treated to great matches in the UEFA Champions League finals, European Championships and other major tournaments. Unfortunately, none of these competitions features Belgium’s national team.
Brazil
In 1950, Brazil made history when the Confederation of Soccer Football was formed. Up until that point, there had only been one national league, which was dominated by players from Rio de Janeiro. After the formation of the Confederations Cup, Brazil decided to enter three different leagues: Serie A, Campeonato Paulista, and Copa Rio. While Brazilian soccer has seen some success over the past few years, the country will always hold a special place in the hearts of fans around the globe.
Netherlands
The Dutch are famous for having one of the most storied soccer histories in all of sports. For example, the Dutch national men’s soccer team has competed at five World Cups and won two titles , while the women have also been on numerous championship teams. Other notable players include legendary striker Dennis Bergkamp, who played for Ajax Amsterdam, Arsenal, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Monaco, and Paris Saint.
Germany
The Germans are known for being very orderly, disciplined, and organized; so much so that they take this trait to another level by playing in an organized fashion during matches. They also play a fast-paced game which is great for scoring goals…
Argentina
Soccer is one of the most popular sports in South America, and Argentina is no exception. Many Argentinians call it “La Pelota” meaning “The Ball”.
England
From Harry Redknapp to Bobby Moore, England has bred an abundance of world-class players through the years. It’s not surprising, then, that soccer is among the most popular sports there.
France
Being second only to God, soccer is the most widely played sport in France. More importantly, though, French players are considered some of the best in the world today.
Spain
With legendary soccer players like David Villa, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, Cesc Fabregas, and Juan Mata, Spanish clubs and national teams can always count on quality players.
Italy
Having arguably the greatest player of all time in Alessandro Del Piero, Italy is truly a soccer powerhouse. However, the popularity of the sport in the country doesn’t stop with just one star forward. Fans enjoy seeing talented midfielders and defenders become heroes as well.
Conclusion
Several different factors determine how successful a football club is hence the above are the most popular countries when it comes to soccer. In addition to having a rich history and famous players, their strong fan base helps propel a side forward. These countries are also popular in Online casino gaming. It’s only the rules that differ from country to country.