Buffon II wrote:Banzai!...AIEEE!!! wrote:
Croatia and Uruguay populations?
Punch well above their weight but worth considering when Uruguay's two World Cups were won and the circumstances surrounding tournaments almost 100 years ago.
Uruguay is tiny and has not really grown since early 1980s (3 mln then, 3.5 mln now).
Croatia is also similar in that regard. Both have aging populations and lots of young people going abroad if they can, and hardly ever returning. Australia is one of the favourite destinations for both countries.
But, but: both are footballing countries first and foremost. While there is also cycling, basketball and athletics as minor competitive sports, none of these attract the kind of following football does. Watching Nacional play Penarol in Montevideo was... well, almost like watching the NZ derby.... just a bit louder, and the game was a bit closer / more even / than our NZ derbies have been so far.
Croatia is also similar in that regard. Both have aging populations and lots of young people going abroad if they can, and hardly ever returning. Australia is one of the favourite destinations for both countries.
But, but: both are footballing countries first and foremost. While there is also cycling, basketball and athletics as minor competitive sports, none of these attract the kind of following football does. Watching Nacional play Penarol in Montevideo was... well, almost like watching the NZ derby.... just a bit louder, and the game was a bit closer / more even / than our NZ derbies have been so far.