Football as a demographic mirror: why are Croatia, Czechia and Bosnia gaining fans?

Football is no longer just a sport: it has become a showcase for national demographics. And a segment of the fanbase is looking for teams that reflect an ethnic identity they believe has been lost.

In the middle of the World Cup, the debate over which national team to support has gone beyond purely sporting grounds and into the territory of demographic composition. While some choose the talent of stars like Modric or Cristiano Ronaldo, others scrutinise squads in search of teams they consider "ethnically pure". Croatia, Czechia and Bosnia are emerging as favourites among those who believe that diversity dilutes national identity.

Squad composition data: Sweden, Scotland and the rest

According to the analyses being shared, Sweden would field at least nine players whose parents are not Swedish, which some interpret as a "disaster" for tactical discipline. Scotland, by contrast, would have only one player of foreign origin among its 26-man squad. This disparity fuels the perception that some teams are "authentic" while others are "artificial". At the opposite end, Spain is criticised for including players of diverse backgrounds, leading some to celebrate its draws as a failure of the national project.

Why fans feel estranged from Spain

The rejection of the Spanish national team is not only demographic: there is also a political component. The presence of players linked to FC Barcelona, along with how the Football Federation is run, has left many fans feeling they "can't identify with that bunch". Some have even gone as far as saying that "this Spain's successes don't belong to Spain", in reference to the propaganda that, in their view, whitewashes immigration. This frustration has driven them to look for alternatives such as Portugal, Croatia or even Iran.

Croatia, Czechia and Bosnia: the last strongholds

For a significant group, Croatia represents resistance: a small, competitive country with a largely native-born squad. Czechia and Bosnia complete the trio of European teams they consider "safe" from ethnic mixing. The sporting results back them up: Croatia beat Panama, Bosnia defeated Qatar and Czechia overcame South Africa, reinforcing their status as sarracena favourites.

But not everyone thinks the same way

There are also those who flatly reject football as a "lumpen sport", or who support any team as long as it includes a single player of foreign origin. The diversity of views reflects a fragmented country, where the World Cup has become an identity battleground.

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The jury is still out: if this trend takes hold, upcoming World Cups will see more fans scrutinising players' origins before picking a favourite. But globalised football, with increasingly mixed squads, does not always offer refuge to those looking for a homogeneous mirror.