On nights football is airing on TV screens, you only need to see the number of young men trooping out of video dens to know that football is more than an obsession. It is a mini-religion, with gods in the form of favourite footballers donning the colours of your favourite team.
There is no fun in just being football fans. There has to be banter. Your favourite team’s win will be downplayed by your rivals and a loss made to look like you lost a limb. Football is not for the fainthearted or people who are quick to reach for sharp implements. Therefore, one should accept that banter is part and parcel of being a football fan.
Here are three ways to overcome banter when your favourite football team loses:
Banter is never that serious
It’s normal to have your team jeered and mocked by rival teams. It's nothing serious, people are just having fun at your expense. It never ends because fans of rival teams will always dig up something even when you wallop a team eight goals to nil. For example, they’ll say there was no hat trick, therefore it was not a perfect win or one worth celebrating.
Your rival’s loss is better than your loss
If you are a Manchester United fan and your team is playing on the same day as Arsenal, then both teams lose, you should take comfort in the fact that your rival also lost.
Footballers may not feel bad
It is often heartbreaking for your team to lose. You walk around with all the vile banter thrown at you and feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. But Paul Pogba on the other hand, will drive to his multi-million dollar home in a limited edition car and straight into a supermodel’s arms. Think about it, you are just feeling bad for a millionaire who has just had a bad day in the office.