have historically supported Germany, dating back to when I was a fan of Michael Ballack, Miroslav Klose, Bastian Schweinsteiger, and Oliver Kahn. That generation made it easy to fall in love with German football, and they’ve remained my default team ever since.
Over the years, though, my reasons for supporting national teams gradually changed. After following the Premier League and becoming a Chelsea supporter, I found myself rooting less for countries and more for players I enjoyed watching—or those who wore the Chelsea shirt.
This World Cup, however, marked another shift.
For the first time, my support wasn’t anchored around players. It was anchored around managers.
I found myself primarily supporting:
- England — Thomas Tuchel
- Brazil — Carlo Ancelotti
Beyond those two, I was also hoping these teams would do well, in no particular order:
- Germany
- Portugal
- Belgium
- Spain
- France
Looking back, it’s interesting how my reasons for supporting teams have evolved. I started by following a generation of players who made me admire a country. Then my club loyalties influenced which international players I wanted to see succeed. Now, I find myself just as invested in the tactical ideas and personalities on the touchline as the talent on the pitch.
I don’t know if this is a one-off or the beginning of a new way of watching international football. Either way, it’s been interesting to see how, over the years, my support has shifted from countries, to players, and now to managers.