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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Sarah Lumley

Top signs of being a true football fan - including supporting both men and women's teams

You can only call yourself a true football fan if you're able to name the starting XI of England's World Cup winning team, and go to at least five games a season, a study has found.

A study asked 2,000 self-declared football fans the top signs of what it takes to be a real fan – with owning multiple shirts, and playing the game yourself, even Sunday league, named among the top 30.

And a third of those polled said that being able to easily explain the offside rule is a requirement of being a fully-fledged supporter.

Knowing where all the stadiums are in different cities, collecting merchandise for a favourite team, and predicting the substitutions about to be made in a game are also signs of a true fan.

However, nearly half (47%) said you can only be classed as a full fan if you support both the men's and women's teams.

Real fans can name the starting XI of England's 1966 World Cup winning team (Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

The research was commissioned by the England Teams' partner Snickers, whose spokeswoman Chloe Smith said: “From missing or being late to the birth of a child or a flight abroad as a result of watching football, we know that England is a nation of passionate football fans.

“However, we know you can’t call yourself a “full fan” if you don’t support both the women and men’s football teams.”

The love for female football is clearly rife, as 46% have an interest in it – with men more so than women.

And 43% think the growing interest in the women’s game is great for the sport as a whole.

When comparing genders, 54% don’t think female footballers are given the same level of recognition as their male counterparts.

As a result, half (49%) of those with kids would encourage their daughter to follow or play the game as much as they would encourage their son.

Three in ten said their daughter plays, compared to a quarter who has a son who takes part in the sport – and a further 39% has a little girl who already supports a particular team.

It also emerged three in five (59%) of those polled have been in love with the game since they were a child, with 58% encouraging their little one to support their favourite team.

The study, carried out via OnePoll, found Fran Kirby, Lucy Bronze, and Steph Houghton are the most familiar names within the game.

And Alex Scott, Sam Kerr, and Fran Kirby are the top three players those polled would most like to see play.

Chloe Smith added: “As a proud partner of the Lionesses, we’re playing our part this summer to roar them on to success.

“Through our #SupportHer campaign, we’re inspiring the nation to go full England fan – because you’re not you if you’re only half supporting England.”

TOP 30 SIGNS YOU’RE A TRUE FOOTBALL FAN:

  1. Being able to name the starting XI of England's World Cup winning team
  2. Playing the game yourself – even Sunday league
  3. Going to at least five games in a season
  4. Owning multiple football shirts
  5. Being able to easily explain the offside rule
  6. Owning a full kit
  7. Supporting your local side
  8. Knowing where all the stadiums are in different cities
  9. Knowing what substitutions a manager will make shortly before they make them
  10. Watching games other than the ones your team is playing in
  11. Knowing the ins and outs of players from different teams from 30 years ago
  12. Knowing the name of ends/stands at different stadiums
  13. Planning your weekends around the football schedule
  14. Cancelling all plans to watch an important game
  15. Going to away games and not just home games
  16. Keeping track of scores across the board on your phone if you're not watching it at home
  17. Happily watching a match on Sky or BT Sport that doesn't even involve your team
  18. Collecting souvenirs/merch for your club
  19. Being a season ticket holder every year
  20. Having pictures/prints/framed shirts up in your home
  21. Being just as interested in the women's game as the men's version
  22. Taking a day off work to watch a match
  23. Knowing all the football chants/songs for each club
  24. Refusing to even wear a colour that your team's rival plays in
  25. Being inconsolable all weekend if your team loses
  26. Knowing the number of trophies each team has won
  27. Arguing with friends/partner over favourite teams
  28. Having a house full of your team's merch – mugs, scarves etc.
  29. Getting up in the middle of the night while abroad to watch a game
  30. Complaining about VAR

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