Austria



Who are you cheering for? Belgium. Good beer is essential for football. In this respect Belgium contributes the most to the game. They deserve my loyalty.

Who are you cheering against? Germany. Let’s talk about something different for a change.

Bolivia

Who are you cheering for? Argentina, because I want to see Lionel Messi crowned the greatest player of all time; and any African or Asian country because of the underdog value.

Who are you cheering against? Any western European country, because they are rich and can afford expensive soccer programs. Any other country is an underdog, even Brazil. They may be a giant but they still represent the hope of the emerging world. It’s great to see developing countries prosper in any way. Alejandro

Canada

Who are you cheering for? England. With both Brexit and the physical pounding England fans are likely to take in the streets in Russia, they could use something positive for a change.

Who are you cheering against? Russia. It would have been the US but, since they didn’t qualify, I will cheer against the country that appears to be controlling them. John

Catalonia



Who are you cheering for? Iceland and Argentina. Iceland were amazing in the qualifiers. I assume they won’t win it so, after they go out, I’ll root for Argentina because of Messi – I’m from Barcelona.

Who are you cheering against? Spain. I am very Catalan so I always want them to lose. Carles

(Note: we know Catalonia is technically not a country but some fans don’t identify as Spanish and we wanted to share their views too)

Leo Messi, the king of Catalonia. Photograph: David Ramos/Getty Images

Ecuador

Who are you cheering for? Argentina. They have the best footballer in the world and are the home of Maradona.

Who are you cheering against? Germany and Brazil, the favourites. Neymar is a super-greedy guy who is interested in nothing but money. Francisco

El Salvador

Who are you cheering for? Germany. I love players who go beyond their individuality and work as a team. What better nation to represent that than Germany? They are always strong contenders, even though they do not have a star; the team is the star.

Who are you cheering against? Brazil. I wish I could forget the 2002 final (the first I saw). Although part of that bad impression vanished in 2014. I really enjoyed the 7-1. Miguel

Estonia

Who are you cheering for? Spain. I started supporting Spain after their fabulous failure to get out of the group stages in 1998. Also Raúl was like a demigod to me when I was a teenager. I always root for the little guy, so the fact Spain was the best country to win nothing added more reasons to support them. And, of course, this great era for the Spanish national team has been a joyous ride.

Who are you cheering against? Russia. They’re our bully neighbours and it’s impossible to root for them given our shared, not so nice, history. Tiit

Faroe Islands

Who are you cheering for? Iceland. They are our neighbours in the north and also very nice people.

Who are you cheering against? Russia. Do I need to say more? Teitur

Ghana

Who are you cheering for? Iceland because I liked their performance and fighting spirit at Euro 2016.

Who are you cheering against? I am cheering against – and I will forever cheer against – Uruguay because of how they eliminated Ghana in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Asiamah

Luis Suárez remains unpopular in Ghana. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Greece

Who are you cheering for? I supported Argentina in France 1998, the first World Cup I was old enough to understand, as Greece had not qualified – mainly because of Gabriel Batistuta and how cool he looked in that shirt. I really want to see Lionel Messi winning this. As for outsiders, I want Egypt, Iceland and England to progress.

Who are you cheering against? Portugal because of Ronaldo, Brazil because of Neymar and Spain because I am still not over them winning everything. Adam

Hungary

Who are you cheering for? I’m one of those weirdos who would be equally happy with Argentina or Brazil winning the trophy. The European dominance of recent years is boring and I’ve always had a thing for Brazil. I became a football fan before the 2006 World Cup, so I have not seen them win it. With all the stories about famed Brazil teams of the past, I somehow feel cheated. But Messi retiring without a World Cup trophy would also feel wrong. Of the smaller teams, I normally get behind Ivory Coast (I’m a Chelsea fan), but since they’re not there, I’ll root for Costa Rica and Panama.

Who are you cheering against? Germany. I have nothing against them but I never want the same team to win twice in a row.

India

Who are you cheering for? Belgium, because I’m really tired of rooting (rather naively) for England in every major tournament and then watching them limp out each time. More importantly, though, Eden Hazard happens to be one of most joy-giving footballers, so the idea of throwing on his jersey and cheering for his side sounds like a good plan. Be rest assured, I’ll keep an eye – very reluctantly, mind you – on England too, because what’s a World Cup without agony and heartbreak?

Who are you cheering against? Germany. I’m bored of them winning everything and emptying gallons of beer celebrating.

Indonesia



Who are you cheering for? Germany, to win their fifth trophy. I was drawn to them in 1986 and 1990, so have supported them since. They now play almost impeccable football with young talents all around. Dwiyanto

Germany’s team ethos has made them popular across most parts of the world. Photograph: Francois Xavier Marit/AFP/Getty Images

Ireland



Who are you cheering for? Argentina, just so people stop using their lack of trophies as a way to criticise Messi. Egypt could be fun with Mo Salah in such great form.

Who are you cheering against? England. I think it’s legally required to root against England here and it can be quite fun. See: Iceland 2016. The sense of entitlement and delusion among English fans is quite profound, and the thought of how insufferable they and their media would be if they won is just too much to bear. Imagine Harry Kane getting a knighthood. Ugh. That said, seeing Big Sam’s reaction if Gareth Southgate brought home the World Cup would be amusing. Kevin

Ireland – an alternative view

Who are you cheering for? England. They are our nearest neighbours and biggest rivals, but I support so many of their players on a weekly basis so why not at the World Cup? It boggles my mind why so many Irish get angry about hating the English and then shout for English clubs without batting an eyelid at the irony.

Who are you cheering against? Russia and Saudi Arabia, due to their records on human rights. Colm

Italy

Who are you cheering for? Iceland. It is impossible not to cheer for a country with a population of 335,000 who are competing at the highest level.

Who are you cheering against? Spain as I’m sick and tired of them.

Andrés Iniesta scores the winning goal at the World Cup final in 2010. Photograph: Jerry Lampen/Reuters

Latvia

Who are you cheering for? Spain. The reason is simple and grandiose: Andrés Iniesta. Not only for what he was, but for what he still is – he was Spain’s best player in their recent friendlies against Germany and Argentina. And that’s in a team that has Isco, Saúl, Thiago Alcântara. The man dribbles past opponents so effortlessly I’m pretty sure the stats guys don’t even count them as dribbles.

Who are you cheering against? Watching teams such as Saudi Arabia or Egypt fail wouldn’t be too hard for me. The regimes are, of course, in no way the players’ fault, but even still.

Netherlands

Who are you cheering for? France because my father is French; and Morocco because we have a very big community of Moroccan people in the Netherlands, who could use some success.

Who are you cheering against? Iceland. Fuck Iceland. Two years ago everybody was so in awe of their authenticity, their sportsmanship and all the people in the stands being family or whatever. “Look at that small country working so hard and really putting in a team effort.” Well, they have no talent, they’re overrated and annoying. Out with them.

New Zealand



Who are you cheering for? I’ve always cheered for England, which perhaps isn’t surprising given I’ve supported Manchester United, followed the Premier League and lived in London for many years. Most Kiwis will probably be backing them too, as the team and Premier League get the vast majority of the football coverage back home. Funnily enough, I tend to dislike other English national sports teams, but there is something about how the football team unites the nation that really captivates me. There is also something charming about the haplessness of a team that has consistently fallen below the often misplaced expectations of their passionate, long-suffering fans across so many major tournaments that has me hoping that one day, England will finally win a major football tournament again.

Who are you cheering against? Australia. Other Kiwis will tell me I should support “our cousins across the ditch” but, with our sporting rivalry and with them having caused so much sporting heartbreak and animosity over the years, screw ‘em. Peru can also do one for the dark arts they employed during our World Cup playoff with them in Lima, where they had fans letting off fireworks outside the the team hotel, had fighter jets (!) fly over the team hotel the night before the match and made our team’s bus journey to the hotel and stadium inexplicably long. Funnily enough, Australia and Peru are playing each other in the group stages. Derek

Northern Ireland

Who are you cheering for? France, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Iceland, Poland, Croatia, Denmark, Sweden and Morocco because I’ve enjoyed great holidays in these countries. Mainly Germany though, because they were robbed in 1966

Who are you cheering against? Have a guess. Mainly because of the hype and arrogance since 1966. Hugh

Remember this, Hugh? Photograph: Rolls Press/Popperfoto/Getty Images

Norway

Who are you cheering for? Australia as it’s a nice country and I love their yellow and green colour scheme. Iceland, as they are are our brothers, who just forgot to gain independence from Denmark when we did.

Who are you cheering against? Sweden. I want them to fail. My attitude to other Nordic countries in sport is that I cheer for Iceland, Faroe Islands and Finland, I don’t care about Denmark, and I hope Sweden score 10 own goals. If Norway can’t make it, then I don’t want Sweden to enjoy it. The Schadenfreude of watching my Swedish friends get knocked out will be great.

Scotland

Who are you cheering for? Initially Belgium, Panama and Tunisia. Then any team that might draw England in the knockout rounds if they qualify. But I will also put my backing behind all the African teams, plucky Iceland and the mighty Germans.

Who are you cheering against? England. Why? Petty revenge for Brexit. I hope England lose at all sports for evermore. Olaf

An England fan prepares to watch England lose to Iceland at Euro 2016. Photograph: Peter Powell/EPA

Slovakia

Who are you cheering for? Argentina, because Messi deserves to win this cup; England, because of their sympathetic team and manager; Belgium, because of the attractive football they play; and anyone who will deploy brave, attacking football.

Who are you cheering against? Russia for political reasons and any other dull side without quality who use park-the-bus tactics. Matúš



South Africa

Who are you cheering for? Nigeria and Senegal. Keeping up with the African theme from my homeland, plus Sadio Mané is extremely likeable and I’m hoping for a big World Cup from him. I’d also like a good run from Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt.

Who are you cheering against? All the usual favourites. I’d love a first-time winner. There have been 20 World Cups and only eight winning countries, so it’s time for someone new.

Turkey



Who are you cheering for? Argentina, because they have best player. If he wants to be the best player in a history, he has to lift the World Cup.

Who are you cheering against? Germany, because they stopped him lifting the World Cup at 2014. Yaman

Uganda

Who are you cheering for? France. I started supporting France due to the fine French players at Arsenal. Many people in Uganda – not just me – support the French team because of that. Arsène Wenger’s legacy is comprehensive. Wambi

Ukraine

Who are you cheering for? Peru!

Who are you cheering against? The hosts. It is a joke that the competition is even in Russia. I would like to hope Ukraine would have boycotted had they qualified. Petro

Birkir Bjarnason celebrates after scoring for Iceland against Portugal at Euro 2016. Photograph: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

USA



Who are you cheering for? I’m going all in on Iceland. I supported them at the Euros and they were fabulously entertaining. They’re an amazing underdog story. Everything about their run at the Euros was great: the reactions of the players, their part-time dentist coach, the insane commentary during their victory over England, their fans. Also, let’s have a moment of silence for Aron Jóhannsson, who apparently would have gotten more tournament experience playing for Iceland after all. Áfram Ísland!

Who are you cheering against? England. The squad is overhyped; as a non-English Arsenal fan, I can’t root for a team containing that many Spurs players; and the reactions of English fans and media to their tournament disasters are very funny. Steve McClaren’s face and reaction to Iceland scoring that second goal at the Euros will never stop being funny. I also still fondly remember the reactions to the 2010 World Cup result, especially the “EASY” headlines about the group stage. I would say I’m also rooting against the other Concacaf teams, but I can’t seem to muster the requisite anger. I’m still more angry at US Soccer for screwing up qualifying so badly than I am at Panama for stealing the last spot. Rachel

Wales

Who are you cheering for? Iceland and Australia because of their underdog status and because Bristol City, my club team, have players from these countries (Bailey Wright for Australia and Hördur Magnússon for Iceland).

Who are you cheering against? England to wind up my dad when they are embarrassingly knocked out. I’ll also be cheering against Switzerland after the poor way they scraped past Northern Ireland in qualifying. Maybe also Serbia for knocking us out. So Brazil and Costa Rica through from Group E for me! Josh

Zambia

Who are you cheering for? Ghana have not qualified so I don’t think I’ll support any of the African teams. Germany and Spain play good football.

Who are you cheering against? I’ve never been a fan of the way Russia and England play – it bores me. Chantel

