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What does it take to be a true football fanatic? Is it saying you support a particular club? Or is it watching a match or two on TV? With the ever-increasing popularity of football and its acceptance into a mainstream culture where it is considered cool to be a fan of a particular club, here’s a quick checklist to know if you are a true football fanatic or a poser.

You Support Your Team No Matter What

The first and foremost rule of fanaticism is to stand by your team through thick and thin. You just lost a match? Well, suck it up! Your love for your team should not wane, even on days that you are on a terrible losing streak. They need your support much more when they are losing. The same rules apply if your favorite player goes to play for another team in a transfer window, or the manager you won the league with is now coaching your rival team. You do not abandon your team.  If you don’t support them on their worst days, who will?

Never Miss a Game

As a true fanatic, it goes without saying that you should always know when your favorite team will be playing next. Their home and away fixtures should not be something you have to look up every time. A true fan has committed to memory the fixtures for the next several games in the league and can tell you off the head.  A real fan knows which derby or best games are being played and never passes up an opportunity to watch the game live or online. You go to great lengths to buy tickets to watch matches played at the local, regional and international levels. As a true fan, you probably have purchased your ticket for a game three weeks away or renewed your football streaming subscription for the whole season, as you don’t want to miss a match.

You Own Merchandise of Your Team and Are Constantly Buying New Stuff

A die-hard football fanatic has a closet full of their favorite team’s merchandise but is always the first to add another jersey when they unveil a new kit to their collection. It is also not just about owning the jersey; you are proud to identify with your team and could wear jerseys to work if you could. Your jersey tells people what your favorite team is, and your jersey’s number tells people which player you idolize. Purchasing your team’s merchandise gives you a sense of unity with your fellow fanatics and reinforces a sense of belonging to your favorite team.

You Know Every Member of the Team, the Reserves Included

Nothing will set you apart as a faithful fan like a sound knowledge of a football team. Knowing the names of all the team players, their positions, the coach, and even the reserve team will draw admiration and respect from friends and foes alike in a football banter. Additionally, being updated on new signings and those who left will save you face the next time you chest thump about how a particular player will score in the next game this coming weekend, yet they were given away on loan or sealed a transfer deal last week.

You Are Always Up to Date

When you are a football fanatic, you will always be conversant with all the leagues and matches in your country and around the world. Leagues such as the premier league, La Liga, UEFA Champions League, the world cup, and the Olympics will be general knowledge for you. You are also conversant with the different teams or clubs participating in the matches and the specific players to play. Without much struggle, you can quickly mention the names of managers, captains, and coaches of your favorite team and other clubs and countries worldwide.

Being Conversant With Football Rules

A real football fanatic knows all the football rules by heart. If you can quickly tell when a foul is committed or where a penalty should be awarded while watching a match and not wondering why the referee blew his whistle, you are a certified football fan. You know the rules of the game and the laws and regulations set aside to be followed by players, fans, and the managing staff such as managers, captains, and coaches. For instance, you will know that fighting on a football field as the match continues is not allowed, or running to the pitch in celebration when your favorite player just scored is wrong, and that such acts of disrupting the game can lead to penalties for you.

You Have a Passion for Sports

Another distinguishing aspect of a true football fan is their general passion for sports. You do not look down upon other games and consider them inferior. Instead, you try to keep an open mind and learn the most you can about them. For example, you probably know when the NBA league will resume, who won the last volleyball championship match, or which team is the contender for the baseball title this season. A true football fan is knowledgeable about other sports and hence is comfortable participating in another sport’s conversation without feeling out of place.

You Are Constantly Rooting for Your Football Team To Win

Every fan supports his team, hoping that they win their next match, even when the odds are stacked against them. Therefore, it is not unlikely that you will be placing wagers with your friends supporting the opponent team often as to who will win the game or which player will score.

Sometimes, these wagers could be placed on online bookmakers, who will provide you with a wider variety of possible outcomes and an incentive of winning money in the process. Online reviews, such as this review of 888sport, will provide you with all the necessary information to determine the best bookie to bet on your team with.

Up to Date with News, Transfers, Rumors, Scandals

If you truly love football, you will always find yourself researching what your favorite players have been up to, both on and off the pitch. Consequently, you always know the latest rumors and scandals involving football players, coaches, and managers, long before the general public hears of them. Over time, you know who to follow for breaking football news, who provides accurate information, and who is peddling rumors. Additionally, you are continuously updated on the latest transfer, signings, and negotiations progress. You know which club is targeting to sign a particular player and how far they are with negotiations. That’s the mark of a true fanatic.

Participating in Playing Football

If you are an avid football fan, there is a high chance that you play football, either for recreation, as an amateur, or as a professional. You often wear your favorite team’s jersey, bearing the number of your favorite international football star. There is something about playing the sport that brings you a lot of fulfillment, and nothing fills you with joy and pride, like scoring a goal and celebrating in the same manner your role model does.