To back or not to back England? Only 1 in 3 Scots want them to lose

For some reason, the media operating in Scotland love this issue so much they tend to ignore the somewhat undramatic facts.

YouGov have done polls in 2022 and 2026 which give clear but not very exciting answers.

In 2022, 26% of Scots wanted England to do badly in the World Cup. Only 9% actively supported England, with another 18% wishing them well. https://yougov.com/en-gb/articles/44444-quarter-scots-want-england-do-badly-world-cup

In 2026, it 32% hoped they fail but 27% hoped they will win. https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/9786037/scotland-fans-supporting-england-world-cup/

Not much to write about there is there?

Why?

Answers to this key question are thin on the ground, not polled, but across media many Scottish fans and commentators argue that English pundits, media, and fan culture, especially the jingoistic tone around “It’s Coming Home”, have reinforced or amplified the “anyone but England” sentiment.

Do people in England hope Scotland will do well? 51% – https://yougov.com/en-gb/articles/54946-are-britons-excited-for-the-2026-world-cup

Might that be, or be seen as, patronising rather than the respectful support for an equal?

The ‘Auld Enemy’? Exploring the England vs. Scotland rivalry from the perspective of soccer fans by Stuart Whigham in 2018, notes English fans’ ambivalence and a “patronising approach” from some English perspectives toward Scottish football. It highlights how Scottish anti-English sentiment is partly a response to perceived lack of reciprocation and condescending views. https://www.academia.edu/50966082/The_Auld_Enemy_Exploring_the_England_vs_Scotland_rivalry_from_the_perspective_of_soccer_fans

A similar tendency has been suggested in support for Wales – ‘The support we’d given them in recent years had been little more than patronising encouragement to teams we viewed as beneath us.’ https://www.thecourieronline.co.uk/home-nations-debate-should-we-all-support-each-other/

Me? I know too much about Argentina’s history to ever support them.

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7 thoughts on “To back or not to back England? Only 1 in 3 Scots want them to lose”

  1. Poor Engerland !

    Do its supporters have such low self-esteem that they need the Scots to boost their inferiority issues ?

    Or do they see themselves as so superior that all lesser peoples will gladly prostrate themselves at the feet of such magnificence ?

    Or is it just the arrogance of their commentariat which gets right up our noses and turns us into supporters of ABE ?

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  2. I have always been a football fan and played at amateur level for many years. A large part of the attraction is being a member and supporter of YOUR team. And part of that is the usually friendly rivalry with fans of other teams. Not only are we happy when our own team wins, but we gloat when rivals lose.

    My teams are Partick Thistle and Scotland. I want Thistle to win and the next best thing is for Celtic and Rangers to lose. I want Scotland to win and I want England to lose.

    Looking at the history, you can see I have rejoiced far less than been disappointed.

    But let’s keep things in perspective. It is only a game. Gloating at an Old Firm loss does not mean I hate my friends who support these teams. Cheering when England lose does not mean I am anti English. Supporting a team is part pantomime and I get a sense of my own ridiculousness and keeps my feet on the ground.

    The problem for the Old Firm and England fans is that they take it too seriously.

    It is only a game.

    Alasdair Macdonald

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  3. If they win we’ll never hear the end of it. They still talk about 1966 as if it was yesterday. But any team that wins will be celebrated by their home country. It’s just that we don’t get it beamed endlessly into our living rooms if it’s France or Spain who win.

    I do think England has an identity problem though. Why don’t they have a song they can all enjoy singing?

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    1. “If they win we’ll never hear the end of it”

      Indeed Capella.

      In fact every time they have a game in this world cup then every TV channel news programme and daytime trash TV programme cannot stop talking about it.

      In fact , as a Scot, you almost feel as if you are in a foreign country and watching foreign Television programmes.

      Then of course the , checks notes, UK PM posts constant motivation comments on ‘X’ to the England team and also if England win their game he then posts comments on ‘X’ praising them.

      However I did not see the same motivation posts from him when Scotland played nor a commiseration post when they, Scotland, were knocked out of this world cup. (as if he did not care or as if it was none of his business nor his place to do so as the UK PM).

      I read this online :

      “Sir Keir Starmer did not post an official message of commiseration to Scotland on X (formerly Twitter) following their World Cup elimination. However, the King issued a public statement offering his sincere commiserations to the Scottish team for the “joy” they brought to the nation during the tournament”

      “While Starmer didn’t post about Scotland’s exit, he did spark controversy ahead of England’s semi-final match against Argentina. His spokesperson stated that the Prime Minister encouraged “unity” and urged Scottish and Welsh fans to back the England team, a plea that met heavy pushback from many Scottish supporters”.

      BTW Prince William the future King , as in a future King (Billy), posted this after the Norway game:

       “Well done England! Top performance in a tough environment. “This is a special team. Commiserations to a proud Norway team”.

      He, the future King (Billy) did not post commiserations to Scotland’s exit from the world cup ( (probably also as he , like Starmer, did not care and also saw it as being none of his business nor his place to do so as the future King (Billy).

      A future King (Billy) whose official title will be ‘William (Billy) the Fifth, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of his other Realms and Territories King, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith’. (aka King of England).

      So the future King (Billy) commiserated with Norway but not Scotland who currently are a part of ‘the United Kingdom of Great Britain’.

      So no I will not support England .

      Did any of the news reporters, trash daytime programmes on ‘British‘ TV or the UK PM who now all want Scots to support England in this world cup also then reprimand the English fans who were singing in certain bars in America “You can shove your F****** bagpipes up your A***” ? ( or was that dismissed as ‘cheeky banter’ so not worth mentioning as not seen as yet more aggression from England fans against another so called ‘Home Nation’ – not a ‘Home Nation’ though whenever in any international sporting competitions when we are up against England though).

      It seems we are to be regarded as being anti English in not supporting their national team (England) in sporting competitions, but the UK PM , the future King (Billy) and others in them mostly ignoring our National team (Scotland) and so then obviously not supporting us in these same international competitions that England are in, that is then not to be seen as them being anti Scottish.

      Give me strength , it’s a constant from them as those who seemingly are so very very needy for our praise and our approval.

      Liz S

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      1. William III of England was known as William II of Scotland, but after the Union of the Parliaments (not the Crowns, which preceded William
        III & II) they used the highest regnal number, so it was William IV and Elizabeth II in both England and Scotland.

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  4. I was going to Scotland/England games where England fans had only white hankies and Union flags to wave.

    Now every available place is festooned with St George flags and their arrogance is breathtaking. Good for them.

    Every time England progress our colonial media run a “Loyalty Test” against us Scots—“if you don’t back us to the hilt, you must be agin us”.

    Sorry, but I thought France would win it, now I think Spain will win it. You know, as the best teams?

    And we won’t get French or Spanish TV/radio bleating/bragging about how unlucky/great they are for the next 60 years.

    I hope England beat Argentina, but that is my limit in support.

    gavinochiltree

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