Your Teams

[bordelais7]

I looked for a thread on this and couldn't find one, so apologies if I missed it.

One of the great things about soccer is that since there are so many thousands of leagues around the world, you are permitted to have several favorite (or even favourite) clubs or teams to support. What are yours, and why?

Mine, in order:

1) Real Salt Lake. Duh. MLS comes to my home state. Who would have thought? The San Jose Earthquakes used to be my "kind of favorite" team in MLS.

2) FC Girondins de Bordeaux (France). My mother's side of the family lives in that region, and I've had a couple of chances to see them (although the most recent was 1999). Some of my favorite players have played on this team, including Michel Pavon, who now coaches the team, Johan Micoud (now with Werder Bremen), Christophe Dugarry, Pedro Pauleta, Sylvain Wiltord, Lilian Laslandes, Marouane Chamakh, Bixente Lizarazu and some guy named Zinedine. Bordeaux won the French League championship in '99, and has pretty much sucked since then.

3) USA, baby

4) Les Bleus. When these guys are on, it's the most entertaining thing in the world to watch. Hopefully the next generation will be able to pull off some results that the old guys did in '98 and '00.

.......

7,018,313) Manchester United.

[jasoncox]

Allow me to join in the fun...

1) RSL for obvious reasons

2) USMNT

3) From there I can't say I really have any favorite teams but I do have a number of players that I really like and have followed for awhile:
a) Thierry Henry
b) DaMarcus Beasley
c) Tim Howard

Then I have a list of teams and players that I hate and enjoy watching them lose. This list is much longer but it starts with ManU.

[SoccerPrime]

I love Ajax Amsterdam because of John O'Brien and because they opened a school here in Florida.

Also, Borussia Moenchengladbach is my new favorite team in the German Bundesliga. My wife lived there when they won the league and has great memories of their victory parade. And now my favorite GK, Kasey Keller is their GK.

[mckid]

I'll probably get flamed for this.

1.) KC Wiz -- grew up in Missouri. Supportered the blues since their inception in 96. Have defended their names, jerseys, and low attendance for the last nine years. Can't change just because I live in Utah when MLS puts a team here. With that said:

2.) RSL -- being a part of something this special from day one has been amazing. It's a very close second.

3.) Manchester City -- started liking them when they signed Reyna. Once I began watching their games I was hooked! Shawn Wright-Phillips can be amazing!

After those three it all kinda mushes together. I'm a sucker for any foreign teams that sign American field players. Thus PSV and Leverkusen are up there. The only reason they aren't officially on the list is because of the rarity of being able to see them play. I don't know their styles or other players.

[bordelais7]

mckid, dare I ask what colors you'll be wearing when KC comes to RES?

you're a brave, brave poster.

[mckid]

Originally Posted by bordelais7

mckid, dare I ask what colors you'll be wearing when KC comes to RES?

I figured I'd cross that bridge when it came.

[Deuce]

OK! I will play your silly game! 😉

I have several favourite teams!

1) Real Salt Lake - The only reason I still live in Utah!
I can't say that I consciously thought I want to leave Utah because they don't have an MLS team... But I can say that I am still here because they have one now!
I grew up in Utah and I always seem to gravitate back here after my many, many life experiences outside Utah. I was ready to go away again when I found out Salt Lake got a team. I am still here! :D
So tell me again how Soccer will never work in Utah...

2) USA - Cos I am a proud American. USA is destined for greatness.

3) Nottingham Forest - They were my first real introduction to football when I lived in the UK.

4) Mansfield Town - I lived across the street from Field Mill in Mansfield and witnessed many a match both inside and outside the ground. Lovely memories of that ground/team...

5) England - They are truly a great team.

6) Liverpool - two words... Michael Owen...! One of the true greats!

7) Real Madrid - There in lies my #7 because of my reason for #6... Michael Owen. It does not hurt that they are the namesake for my #1 but Michael Owen is the reason!

8) DC United - They have been my team since the league began 10 years ago. Still like to watch them play and want them to win unless they are playing RSL!

Any team that has a USMNT Player on it except Blackburn Rovers... I like Brad Friedel but he plays for the worlds worst side... even worse than ManU and Lazio! so now you know my 3 least favourites as well! :p

[Neil]

1) Real Salt Lake - Because I'm tired of watching soccer on television! Our front office has put together a great team, and MLS fans all over the country are looking at us with envy. Soccer Specific Stadium talks before a game is even played, Beautiful Kits, and the pull to bring World Cup Qualifiers to our city.

2) USA - Because we're getting better and better every year, and I love this country. The fact that we'll get to see them play in our city doesn't hurt either. 🙂

3) Manchester United - Because they're always fun to watch, they play well, and they have great players. Watching Cristiano Ronaldo move the ball across the field is dizzying. And you have to love Ruud Van Nistelrooy. The supporters are absolutely insane too, which I love. It makes the game more exciting to hear the chants, and the cheers.

4) Real Madrid - Because they play the most beautiful football in the world. With players like the Galacticos on the field you can't help but be mesmerized by the footwork. And I like Beckham, so sue me, he's a nice guy that loves his family, and one of the best players in the game.

5) England - Because if they're not playing the USA than I want them to win. Great players, great matches, great supporters. I just love the vibe in the stadium when England plays.

6) Ajax - Because I spend a week in Amsterdam every year and I love watching these guys play. Again, the supporters are awesome as well.

[Rover]

Can't resist this one. I've moved so many times (I go by 'Rover' for a good reason) so the list is fairly long.

First, I support the USMNT alone among national teams, so I'm only listing clubs.

1. RSL. I spent my last two years of high school in Salt Lake, and it's as close to a home town as I have. When I heard the expansion announcement, I had an instant favorite team. Before last summer, I supported the Galaxy, Rapids, and Fire. I'll never hate those teams--that's reserved for Metro and DCU--but they're now rivals.

2. Udinese Calcio (Italy). I spent some time in Croatia, and began to follow the Friuli team when they featured Oliver Bierhof. They're a tough little team that always gives the Serie A big boys trouble. The town of Udine is also one of my favorites in Europe.

3. FC Barcelona (Catalonia). One of the great clubs. I became a fan during the Cruyff era, and I have nothing but respect for their organization. They really get in your blood after awhile. I admit I even know the club anthem, although I don't speak Catalan.

4. FC Nantes Atlantique (France). Like Bordelais I support Girondins too, but Nantes are my French team. I've always respected how they built from their youth system. It isn't helping them much now, though.

5. Borussia Monchengladbach (Germany). Great team during my early soccer years back in the 1970's, and only passable since. BMG will always be the team that tossed around Bayern for a decade, and for that we can all be grateful. Having Keller on the roster is a bonus.

6. Everton FC (England). Not much success lately, at least until this year. As a kid in London I lived a few blocks from Stamford Bridge, so my friends supported Chelsea. I always liked Everton, so they became my club. Can't rightly say why, but I've never regretted it.

7. Sporting (Portugal). Classy team from Lisbon.

Others I support, but not on the primary list: Molde (Norway), Rayados de Monterrey (Mexico), Velez Sarsfield (Argentina), Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia), and VfB Stuttgart (Germany).

But RSL is #1!

[Arelius]

Need I say more?