With Italy out of its second consecutive World Cup, the millions of soccer fans in the transalpine country take part in one of the 32 teams that compete these days in Qatar. According to an Izi poll, conducted just before the tournament began, lThe favorite (22.4 percent) for the majority of Italians is Argentina… And secondly, this goes against many odds, Spain appears, with 14.7 percent.
That the tifosi prefer the albiceleste has two obvious reasons: first, the amount of existing family ties between one country and another due to the Italian exodus to Argentina between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th. It is estimated that you4 million emigrated to the South American country. The second biggest link is Diego Armando Maradona, whose devotion in Naples It causes a good part of Campania to take sides with the country with which El Pelusa won the 1986 Mexico championship.
Brazil, with an Italian legacy that is also very important, occupies third place among the preferences of transalpine fans. Some 8 percent encourage the canarinha there, by 5.9 to England, 4 to Portugal, a 3.8 to France and a 3.6 to Germany. Belgium (2.6 percent), Croatia and Japan (2%), the Netherlands and Switzerland (1.4) and Mexico and Uruguay (1.2) complete the first places among preferences of this orphaned Italy of selection in Qatar.
A 5.6 declares itself a follower of the rest of the teams. Although Spain appears as the second most encouraged team in Italy, after Argentina in this classification the percentage (20.1) of Italians who will not support any team in this World Cup would actually appear. Something, not belonging to anyone, that many football fans may find it sad.