Who Would You Play For?

[Guest]

I brought up something interesting in the Cristiano Ronaldo thread that could be worth its own thread.

If you were a world class footballer, which nations are you eligible for and who would you pick?

I'm eligible for Peru, Canada and England. I'd pick Peru as its the only nation I have true love for.

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, Cannabis said:

I'm only eligible to play for England. 

My grand-parents parents are Irish so through some loop-hole I could probably play for either the Republic or Northern Ireland but I'd still choose my home nation. 

I believe that works.

My grandmother is English, and everyone past my grandfather was born in England. So I believe that counts, hence why I said I'm eligible for them

[Guest]

Just now, Cannabis said:

I was under the impression that it stops after grandparents. 

Could be, the english culture exists in my family though. Both my name and surname are English. I know those things don't really count but my grandmother being born in Ipswich helps my case a bit.

I could have been eligible for South Africa if my father lived there just 1 more year.

[Spike 2,587]

I could probably get English nationality/passports but it'd be a tricky scenario because it has to be maternal. My grandparents of my father's side are English. I wouldn't consider it, I'm Australian and playing for England is ludicrous, they are the great rival! 

[Smiley Culture 1,292]

I would only be eligible for England but I'd have no desire to represent them whatsoever. 

[SirBalon 2,607]

England and Spain...  Born in London but both my parents are from Galicia in Spain.

Who would I choose?  It'd be difficult to be honest and would depend on many many factors that are impossible to just say like this without living the situation.

[Storts 1,764]

England and Scotland, possibly Ireland

Would choose the Scots, more chance of a game 

[SirBalon 2,607]

4 minutes ago, Teso Dos Bichos said:

Galacia? So is/was your dad a celta de vigo or deportivo la coruña fan? Surprised you chose to follow barcelona instead of those two. 

My dad was overall a Monforte de Lemos fan (fanatic) that have played almost their entire history in Spain's third division.  But out of the big ones in Galicia his sympathies were with Celta Vigo.

My Barça sympathies I already explained in a long post (habitual for me) in the other forum.  I have a lot of family living in Barcelona and when I was 7 (I think), my uncle bought me a Barça shirt...  The following year my parents sent me on holiday to Barcelona during Easter and that same uncle took me to a Barcelona game at the Camp Nou (he was and still is a socio at the club which is how I got to be a socio while I was living in Valencia for 10 years later on in my life) and I was awed...  Struck by lighting.  I'd been to Arsenal many many times but nothing like that had ever entered my mind that it could be possible.  I will never forget  that very first moment I entered that cauldron of the Camp Nou as you come out from inside the stadium.

[Spike 2,587]

I remember the first game I went to. I was 19 and it was Brisane Roar playing Melbourne Victory. Up until then the closest I had been to a football match were scratch games at the park between about eight people.

[SirBalon 2,607]

6 minutes ago, Teso Dos Bichos said:

CD lugo, pontevedra, CD ourense? Which one was closer to yall's house? 

Club Lemos (about 100 metres away) that's Monforte de Lemos.

But the closest "big" club is CD Lugo which is why I sport their crest and I've been to many of their games at the Estadio Anxo Carro.  To be honest I've been to dozens of games all over Spain in my life as from my teen years I fell in love with what I saw as a mysterious league compared to what I was used to growing up in London.  The whole fandom in Spain and the fanaticism has no comparison in my opinion...  Take for example family member in Seville not talking to each other because one is a Sevilla fan and the other is a Real Betis fan.  I've even heard of fathers disowning their sons because of that.

I am lucky enough to have seen Maradona play in the skin live at the Camp Nou.  That marks you!

[SirBalon 2,607]

9 minutes ago, Spike said:

I remember the first game I went to. I was 19 and it was Brisane Roar playing Melbourne Victory. Up until then the closest I had been to a football match were scratch games at the park between about eight people.

What's the biggest game you've been to?

[Spike 2,587]

6 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

What's the biggest game you've been to?

Sports? Probably around 30,000 at Turner Field. Capacity %? 100% (20,000) at the United Center. In football, probably around 15,000 for Brisbane Roar.

[SirBalon 2,607]

Just now, Spike said:

Sports? Probably around 30,000 at Turner Field. Capacity %? 100% (20,000) at the United Center. In football, probably around 15,000 for Brisbane Roar.

Haven't you ever been to a game of football (I don't mean their version of football) in the States... MLS?

[Spike 2,587]

Just now, SirBalon said:

Haven't you ever been to a game of football (I don't mean their version of football) in the States... MLS?

Nah, Atlanta only got a team this year and I've struggled getting people to go with me. Whenever I'm Chicago, I'm more excited to got see a hockey or baseball game. Though, I must say it would be pretty exciting to see Tata's Atlanta team play. 

Atlanta isn't a very convenient city for events. The parking and traffic is atrocious and there almost no public transport.

[SirBalon 2,607]

3 minutes ago, Spike said:

Atlanta isn't a very convenient city for events. The parking and traffic is atrocious and there almost no public transport.

That's no excuse mate! You should see what Neapolitans go through to go to a game and what they call traffic is called saying goodbye to your family and maybe never coming home when you get into your car.  

Never have I experienced anything like that in my life.  If it wasn't bad enough with everyone driving so aggressively in plain chockablock traffic, you then have to compete with all the mopeds buzzing around you knocking every side mirror off every car.

[Spike 2,587]

Just now, SirBalon said:

That's no excuse mate! You should see what Neapolitans go through to go to a game and what they call traffic is called saying goodbye to your family and maybe never coming home when you get into your car.  

Never in my life have I experienced anything like that in my life.  If it wasn't bad enough with everyone driving so aggressively in plain chockablock traffic, you then have to compete with all the mopeds buzzing around you knocking every side mirror off every car.

Watching Atlanta play isn't the same as watching Napoli. Kind of a weird equivalence that is.

[SirBalon 2,607]

Just now, Spike said:

Watching Atlanta play isn't the same as watching Napoli. Kind of a weird equivalence that is.

It was the bit you said about the fact it's difficult to get to games because of the traffic. Not the comparison between both clubs. Hahaha

This is all totally off topic to be honest and I apologise. But how did you get so deep into football then? Australia to the US... It seems a bit strange. 

[Spike 2,587]

Just now, SirBalon said:

It was the bit you said about the fact it's difficult to get to games because of the traffic. Not the comparison between both clubs. Hahaha

This is all totally off topic to be honest and I apologise. But how did you get so deep into football then? Australia to the US... It seems a bit strange. 

I used to watch morning new highlights of the EPL when I was a kid. Started getting more passionate when I was in high school as I had an English maths teacher. 

My mrs is a Yank! It was cheaper for me to travel to the US than vice-versa. $9000AUD for an APPLICATION for a partner visa, ridiculous, scandalous, thieving!

[Spike 2,587]

Just now, Teso Dos Bichos said:

Yeah, Atlanta's traffic is a bitch. Wanted to go see bama play at the new falcon's stadium but i wont mainly because of the traffic. 

Accident every day outside my house. People think it's their right to blow red lights on a one way street.

Perfect place for the police to park their car and rake in the ticket money.

[SirBalon 2,607]

7 minutes ago, Spike said:

I used to watch morning new highlights of the EPL when I was a kid. Started getting more passionate when I was in high school as I had an English maths teacher. 

My mrs is a Yank! It was cheaper for me to travel to the US than vice-versa. $9000AUD for an APPLICATION for a partner visa, ridiculous, scandalous, thieving!

$9,000 for a husband to be able to live with his wife? That's worse than thieving 

[Spike 2,587]

Just now, SirBalon said:

$9,000 for a husband to be able to live with his wife? That's worse than thieving 

No, $9,000 for an application for a husband to live with his wife. No guarantees! Cost a pretty penny for me to live in the USA as well but considerably cheaper than that.

[SirBalon 2,607]

Just now, Spike said:

No, $9,000 for an application for a husband to live with his wife. No guarantees! Cost a pretty penny for me to live in the USA as well but considerably cheaper than that.

What sort of paper do they print the application on then? Ancient Egyptian papyrus? Or is it that they pay the ones in administration a damned good salary! 

[Spike 2,587]

19 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

What sort of paper do they print the application on then? Ancient Egyptian papyrus? Or is it that they pay the ones in administration a damned good salary! 

I think Australian inherited good ol' fashioned European bureaucracy. For learning to drive in my home state one must record one-hundred hours of driving over one year, including ten hours of night driving, it must be signed off every occasion by a person who has been permitted an 'open licence', the kms traveled must be recorded from the speedometre, and finally verified by a DMV official. Stateside, I walked into the DMV, sat a test, received a 'learners permit' and was told to come back in two months for a driving exam. 

[Devil-Dick Willie 1,490]

Eligible for England, Australia, Hungary, and if I tracked my deadbeat father down, Germany.

 

Would play for Hungary as being a god among peasants amuses me, and I would rather piss glass than play for Australia.

[Asura 306]

Im an Indian by Nationality and dont have any other citizenships so I would play for my country. I would probably still play for India even if Im eligible for any other country in the world. I would like to see our country play atleast one match in the world cup in my life time, I might actually travel to watch that match live wherever that world cup is happening. 

[Stan 9,340]

Would be eligible for England or India. 

I was born here but parents and grandparents born in India (dad was born in Kenya but don't think that matters). 

[nfb_10 42]

I'd be eligible for Trinidad & Tobago and India. 

My great grandparents were born and grew up in India, they only came to Trinidad later on in their lives. 

And although I love the Indian culture, traditions and food, I've never actually even been to India and could never choose to represent them over Trinidad.

🇹🇹

[Harry 1,176]

On 2017-5-19 at 7:44 AM, Storts said:

England and Scotland, possibly Ireland

Would choose the Scots, more chance of a game 

Thats a key point. 

I'm sure there are plenty of players that would have to consider that and let that dictate their decision....

Presumably if you were world class you'd pick England as you'd be more likely to go to (and go further in) the major tournament's...?

Whereas if you're a more limited footballer you pick the side that will be more likely to play you...