Why don't we send a United Kingdom team to the World Cup?
Technically speaking the UK is the country. England is a region.
My gf knows all about soccer but she is stumped by this and none of my friends know the answer.
Thanks
Danny x
England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are countries within a country. They all have their own government which sits under the British government. They also have their own national flag too. There is a British rugby team but I think that's because there are two types of rugby - Rugby League and Rugby Union so one has an England, Scotland and Wales team, the other has a Great Britain team.
There is only one type of soccer so each nation has it's own team particularly as they also have their own dedicated football leagues. Yes I know that there are a few Welsh teams in the English league but that is because there are only a few professional Welsh teams, whereas the Welsh League itself is only semi-professional.
Littleluce, I couldn't have answered it better myself !!
So, if I understand, Lucy, when it come to football they are classed as full countries?
I don't think there really is an answer. We could decide to have a UK football team, or any sports team, in the same way that we compete as UK at the Olympic Games.
Acting as separate countries when it comes to sport is just something that the four nations of UK decided to do.
In rugby, Ireland, which is not a country but an island, plays as one team.
Well even without football they are classed as countries within a country. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have all brought in laws regarding certain things like charging for carrier bags. England have only just followed suit a couple of years later or so. They each have their own football league so they all have their own national team.
Personally I don't think that any of the fans or players from Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland would want a Great Britain team as they are all too proud of their countries anyway. If there was a great Britain team then it wouldn't be allowed to enter either the World Cup or the European Championships while the four home nations were involved.
Hi Danny I hope you're well.....
To be honest it seems to be an inconclusive and grey area. When you listen to the news Germany, France Spain and others are often referred no as European States rather than countries.
When you look at the list of European countries England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are not listed but The United Kingdom is, and so is the Republic of Ireland.
When you look up the United Kingdom it says "The United Kingdom of Countries". So you'll have to make your own mind up on that one but it is all irrelevant as your post originally asked about a United Kingdom Team at the World Cup.
Well I cannot see other European countries agreeing to us entering England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland into the world cup as well as a United Kingdom side and quite simply.......... why would they want to.
There is much more prestige being picked for England than the United Kingdom and the same goes for the Scots, N. Irish and The welsh. After all, the British Olympic football team was poorly represented so why would the players wish to play for a United Kingdom team?
Just to add that I believe the reason why the UK is listed as a European country is because it governs over England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The capital of The United Kingdom is England.
To be honest, even if there was a UK football team, the only player from outside of England that would be good enough to get into the team would be Gareth Bale.
I think I understand pretty well about the team being England, with Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland each having their own representative teams. There is a long history that goes into all of that. I believe that the Scots especially take pride in having their own team, separate from the UK and especially separate from England, etc. For a long time England and Scotland shared monarchs, yet, were completely separate sovereign nations from one another. That might confuse some, but history buffs know all about it.
As an American observer, I think an England vs Scotland showdown would be tremendously entertaining, or England vs Ireland, or England vs Wales.
Oh, Elit, if I call it soccer, I am not being rude or offensive. It's a cultural difference. It is called football where you live, but where I live, football is something different and we call what y'all play, soccer. That is not being disrespectful.
PS. More Americans watched the USA's team on TV in the World Cup play-offs than have ever watched soccer before. We actually had a good crowd that traveled to attend the games. I still don't understand all the rules, but I did get caught up in it and enjoyed it very much... until our guy missed what looked like should have been an easy goal. grrrrrr....
I suspect it has something to do with the legacy of the British Home Championship, as well. The Home Nations contested it long before there was a World Cup, and it certainly left a separate football culture in each.
Plus, you know Scotland would be all "They may take our lives, but they'll never take our Old Firm players!!!!"
im a very proud english man to start off with. I DO NOT consider myself britsh and do not feel any connection to OUR territories,i,e scotland,wales,northern ireland. we as a nation of great britain fielded a team in the london olympics in the mens and womens FOOTBALL (not soccer) and it was basically a novelty team. ask a english man and he would more than likely say he didn't want a uk team anyway. i cant say the jocks,taffs and paddies would either.
Soccer is the round ball game. Footy or football is the oval ball game ie rugby league, rugby union, aussie rules and gridiron. It all is based on where you come from and what is the dominate sport played in the area.
I hope you (Lucy) are enjoying your time in Prague.
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The UK is a Sovereign state made up of four countries. They are all considered countries of there own and have governing bodies which mean they play individually in football.