Football (Soccer) Thread

[celedhring]

Back when Madrid was a legit team to root for:

[img]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CcX-7k5WEAAzdEl.jpg

Your Danishness is clouding your judgment here. 

So I shouldn't wear my Laudrup Real Madrid jersey when visiting Barcelona in March?

Not in my presence 

[Liep]

I don't think I can fit into my Stoichkov jersey anymore.

[Norgy]

If I am not completely mistaken, Real Madrid was pretty much a socialist club until the end of the Spanish Civil War. Franco, like Mussolini, saw the power of footie as a way to engage with the public.

[celedhring]

If I am not completely mistaken, Real Madrid was pretty much a socialist club until the end of the Spanish Civil War. Franco, like Mussolini, saw the power of footie as a way to engage with the public.

You're slightly mistaken. Atlético was the establishment club of the regime at the beginning, once Real became more successful, they latched onto it and propped it up. Indeed, football was used to engage the population, in particular the working class that had aligned itself with the Republic, and used to create nationalist fervor - that's why it was so important to have a Spanish club making it big abroad (Real Madrid). It all culminated when Spain hosted and won the 1964 Euros, defeating the USSR in the final. That was pure Francogasm.

[Norgy]

Thanks.

I was so not informed. 

[celedhring]

Thanks.

I was so not informed. 

You were right for the most part, it's just that Atlético were the "chosen club" at first. Atlético had been merged with the Air Force football team, so it had considerable backing from the army.

[The Larch]

Atlético had been merged with the Air Force football team, so it had considerable backing from the army.

Creating the awesomely named "Atlético Aviación". 

[Norgy]

Politics and football don't always mix well.

During the 30s, Norwegian clubs split into socialist clubs and bourgeousie ones. Whiile the league came together again in 1945, those splits are still there in some places. This small town at some point had 4 different clubs. 

The oldest, Gjøvik/Lyn still exists.

[Josquius]

Its worse when sports interfere with politics.
A key reason for the rise of modern scottish nationalism is football

[Norgy]

Its worse when sports interfere with politics.
A key reason for the rise of modern scottish nationalism is football

Celtic and the nationalist party go hand in hand, you mean? Not sure I buy that, to be honest.
Celtic fans were bastards way before the SNP existed.

[Josquius]

More to do with the Scottish national team and Scotland as so definitely different to monolithic England.
This feeling was on the wane in the first half of the 20th century. As international sport became more of a big deal and a sporting rivalry developed though. ....
It's chickens and eggs to a large extent. But the two feed into each other.

[Norgy]

Scotland has Frankie Boyle. England has Lineker and Cameron.
Scotland wins.

[Liep]

The Premier League makes no sense this year and I'm loving it.

[Josephus]

The Premier League makes no sense this year and I'm loving it.

[celedhring]

I thought Leicester's draw yesterday was the beginning of the end, but somehow they ended up gaining one point over the opposition.

Also, Arsenal.