# What teams are you rooting for in the World Cup? And why? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 13, 2014, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-teams-are-you-rooting-for-in-the-world-cup-and-why/690688 "2014-06-13T07:42:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-teams-are-you-rooting-for-in-the-world-cup-and-why/690688/21 "2014-06-13T13:51:11Z")
After the USMNT, England because of all the Southampton guys on the squad, and then Belgium. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-teams-are-you-rooting-for-in-the-world-cup-and-why/690688/22 "2014-06-13T13:55:39Z")
**USA!** I’m one of the few Americans who actually thinks our boys stand a chance. Despite a terrible draw in the groupings, we have a good team. [It appears we may have our shit together.](http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_spot/2014/06/09/usa_vs_nigeria_j_rgen_klinsmann_s_united_states_team_looks_really_good_heading.html) Failing that: Netherlands, the Chicago Cubs of international soccer. Mexico, because I’ve been there (I’ve been to many of the countries competing, but Mexico is closest to me geographically). And Brazil, because root root root for the home team, and all that. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-teams-are-you-rooting-for-in-the-world-cup-and-why/690688/23 "2014-06-13T13:59:49Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > After yesterday, I’m adding > [ul] > [li]Croatia for ‘deserve some justice’ reasons and[/li][li]Whoever is playing Brazil, for the same reasons.[/li][/ul] Croatia got a bad break, to be sure. But Brazil scored again, cleanly and without controversy, later in the game. So even without the bad officiating, Brazil would have won. ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-teams-are-you-rooting-for-in-the-world-cup-and-why/690688/24 "2014-06-13T14:08:39Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > Croatia got a bad break, to be sure. But Brazil scored again, cleanly and without controversy, later in the game. So even without the bad officiating, Brazil would have won. I’m not so sure about that. Brazil scored their third in, what, 85 minutes or something like that? If it had been 1-1 at that point, I think both teams would have been a lot more cagey, preferring to avoid defeat rather than going all-out to win. So that bad decision quite possibly changed the outcome. ---
**Author:** ![racepug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@racepug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racepug)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-teams-are-you-rooting-for-in-the-world-cup-and-why/690688/25 "2014-06-13T15:45:58Z")
I’m for the Brasilians to win, as I always am. I’m ½ Chilean so I’m pulling for _La Roja_ to get out of the group stage. I _used_ to pull for the Dutch but I’m not as much in their corner anymore after the largely disgraceful performance they put on in the 2010 Final (which makes it that much easier to pull for Chile’s team in Group B). I’ve never been a fan of _La Albiceleste_ (Argentina’s team) or _Die Mannschaft_ (you probably already know which team that references) but these days I’m not as much against them as I have been in the past so, for me, although there are teams in the tournament that I’d rather see do well than others, for the first time in my life I think I’d be okay with just about ANY team winning the tournament as long as they do it F-A-I-R-L-Y. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-teams-are-you-rooting-for-in-the-world-cup-and-why/690688/26 "2014-06-13T16:04:50Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > England, because I’m a masochist. > > Plus I was born and bred there. This. > [@Kinthalis](#): > > USA 'cause it’s my adoptive country And this. And Argentina because I’m fucking weird. Okay, because I’m a child of the 80s but-not-early-enough-to-remember-the-Falklands-War and Maradona was _the man_. I also developed an unnatural attachment to Gabriel Batistuta in my teens. I’ve got a soft spot for the Dutch and the Croatians as well. Though frankly anyone but Brazil will do. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-teams-are-you-rooting-for-in-the-world-cup-and-why/690688/27 "2014-06-13T16:22:07Z")
The good guys. Go, good guys!!! ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-teams-are-you-rooting-for-in-the-world-cup-and-why/690688/28 "2014-06-13T16:31:50Z")
> [@PaulParkhead](#): > > I’m not so sure about that. Brazil scored their third in, what, 85 minutes or something like that? If it had been 1-1 at that point, I think both teams would have been a lot more cagey, preferring to avoid defeat rather than going all-out to win. So that bad decision quite possibly changed the outcome. Not to mention the breakaway for the final goal only happened because a Croatian was fouled hard without a call. [and the foul call that prevented the second Croation goal was also pretty marginal; could easily have been let go] ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-teams-are-you-rooting-for-in-the-world-cup-and-why/690688/29 "2014-06-13T16:47:54Z")
USA first. Then England, for kinship and my love of the Premier League. At this very moment I’m cheering for Mexico because of North American kinship. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-teams-are-you-rooting-for-in-the-world-cup-and-why/690688/30 "2014-06-13T16:51:36Z")
The US, obviously. Second that, Spain. Mostly because I have a good friend from Mexico and this is to spite him. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-teams-are-you-rooting-for-in-the-world-cup-and-why/690688/31 "2014-06-13T17:18:12Z")
Ecuador - I have a few close friends from Ecuador. It would take a miracle for them to get past France and Switzerland, but they’ve got an interesting team. Cote D’Ivoire - I don’t really know why. They’re in what appears to be the most wide-open Group. US - only by default. ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-teams-are-you-rooting-for-in-the-world-cup-and-why/690688/32 "2014-06-13T17:35:41Z")
**Holland!!!** ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-teams-are-you-rooting-for-in-the-world-cup-and-why/690688/33 "2014-06-13T17:44:24Z")
The US first, of course, and then Greece for reasons of ancestry. After that, I tend to like some teams more than others to the point where I’ll be able to say who I’m rooting for in most games, but I’m not sticking anyone else’s game times on my calendar. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-teams-are-you-rooting-for-in-the-world-cup-and-why/690688/34 "2014-06-13T17:47:11Z")
The US first (because I was born and bred there), but when we fall away, I want to root for the squads that play fun soccer - so Brazil, Spain, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-teams-are-you-rooting-for-in-the-world-cup-and-why/690688/35 "2014-06-13T18:13:53Z")
Ghana! I used to work with a guy from Ghana. In 2006, he was so stoked that they were finally in the World Cup that we all rooted for Ghana with him, and I’ve rooted for Ghana in soccer ever since. I have my Ghana flag and team picture hung proudly over my desk. I’m an American, so I’m rooting for the U.S. second and Mexico third, though I would be pleased as punch to see any of Ghana’s neighbors do well. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-teams-are-you-rooting-for-in-the-world-cup-and-why/690688/36 "2014-06-13T18:17:50Z")
To all you US citizens who seem disinclined to cheer for Team USA: you know, it really is entirely acceptable to cheer for our squad. They’re not nearly as hopeless as detractors suggest–in fact they have been playing some _very_ enjoyable football in the past year–and it’s perfectly reasonable and even expected that people will cheer for their own country’s team: good or bad; win, lose or draw; shitty officiating or just acceptable officiating. Go USA! ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-teams-are-you-rooting-for-in-the-world-cup-and-why/690688/37 "2014-06-13T18:24:45Z")
USA! ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-teams-are-you-rooting-for-in-the-world-cup-and-why/690688/38 "2014-06-13T18:34:46Z")
yeah but being American and cheering for team USA is _so_ mainstream ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-teams-are-you-rooting-for-in-the-world-cup-and-why/690688/39 "2014-06-13T18:36:43Z")
Among hipster football fans, mainstream is now edgy. ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-teams-are-you-rooting-for-in-the-world-cup-and-why/690688/40 "2014-06-13T19:07:22Z")
United States, but once they’re out Germany. I’ve been a fan of German football (starting with Franz Beckenbauer) since the 70s. And I always enjoy watching Spain play. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-teams-are-you-rooting-for-in-the-world-cup-and-why/690688.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-teams-are-you-rooting-for-in-the-world-cup-and-why/690688.md?page=3)