Which Evokes More Passion- Club or International Play?

Attempting to compare the two is synonymous to the old adage of comparing apples to oranges.  They are not the same for many reasons.  True, both are football and fans are passionate, but it is difficult to say which is better. 

There are arguments for both and opinions will vary, but certainly most fans would have a preference as to which they enjoy more.

The positives of club football are numerous.  It is more frequent and much closer to home, at least in the traditional sense.  In the modern game it is not uncommon for the big clubs to have a global fan base.  This crossover of nationalities in the fan pool has an appeal which international football cannot match.

Club football also has no barriers to player attainment other than economical restraints.  The English Premier League is the example which is currently setting the bar of expectations.  It is hard to deny that the EPL has the highest standards in the world when it comes to the level of play offered to the viewing audience. 

The fact that team management is able to spend freely to gather domestic and international talent appeals to the fans seeking the highest levels of play.  It only makes sense that if the best money can buy is present, then the product on the field can only follow.

While these strengths are exclusive to club football, inherent in them is the potential argument for the appeal of the international game.

It is only in recent times (the last 10 to 20 years), that the club game has really gone global in its ambitions to secure the services of players.  A club steep in heritage like Arsenal was always a source of pride for north Londoners and still is.  What makes this a dilemma for the traditional Gunner fan is the fact that nearly the entire team is composed of foreign talent (and has been for many years now), yet is playing in the domestic league of England.

While there is no doubt that the attraction and level of the on field product has improved, there is a generation of supporters that have seen the transformation of an English bastion of pride become a collection of foreign stars that are mercenaries of the game.  The pride may well be the same or even increased, but there is no doubt that the identity has changed.  Is this a good thing?  Opinions will vary.

International soccer offers an undiluted view of the best a country has to offer on the stage of world football.  Naturalized citizens and economic issues aside, there is a true nationalistic presentation of a nation’s football prowess.

It is easy for a fan to identify and support “one of their own”.  While trying not to stray into politically incorrect waters, I am completely in favor of a team sharing a common language and identity stepping onto the pitch to do battle.  There is a camaraderie present that club soccer will never match.

An illustration of the divide between the two occurred recently in Argentina.  The rift between Juan Roman Riquelme and Diego Armando Maradona led to Riquelme’s refusal to play for the national team coached by Maradona.

Both are legends of the blue and yellow of Boca Juniors (Riquelme still plays), how did the fans of the storied Argentine powerhouse react?  The more passionate displays were in favor of Riquelme.  Circumstances aside, the unscientific conclusion is that a majority of Boca ‘fanaticos’ chose club over country. 

The fans’ demonstrations were, of course, at a Boca Juniors match.  What if the setting was an albicelestes match?  Would Maradona have carried the public opinion then?  I ask because fans are known to be fickle and timing is everything.

What club soccer offers is a steady diet of football and the fact that the top leagues are influenced more and more by foreign players is truly a plus for the purist.  The leagues that can afford to bring the best players in from abroad are reaping the rewards of feeding the soccer fan with a quality product on a consistent basis.

But international football is the dessert that all can enjoy.  There is a clear identity and style of football brought to the table.  The tournaments which are the pinnacle of international play are much less frequent and shorter in duration than the extensive seasons presented by the club game.  This limited presentation and clarity of identity increases the intensity of these events with the main beneficiary being the passionate football fan.

Both are necessary but surely each fan has a preference of one over the other. 

I have always preferred apples to oranges.




Left- Russian fans celebrate their victory over the Dutch in Basel, Switzerland in the 2008 Euro's.

Above-  The rift between Boca legends Maradona (pictured in "The Church of Maradona") and Riquelme has created unwanted drama in the Argentine camp.