This is why benched club football players will never celebrate as they do for the country
Like probably most of you, I too enjoy watching major international football events. FIFA world cups, European Championships, Africa cup of nations, Copa America … They are filled with quality football, joy and a mostly positive atmosphere around it. In addition, there is one detail worth mentioning. Footballers that are benched celebrate goals far more enthusiastically for their country than they do when benched for their club. This is why.
No footballer likes to sit on the bench. Of course, there are jokes, that being a third-choice goalkeeper on top-level football is a dream job. They get paid massively despite not playing (at all).
However, since they do all the preparation the same as the rest of the team that cherry on top is missing. They would like to play as well, be certain of it. Every footballer trains to play. Period. If not so, they should consider retiring.
Anyhow, although it’s difficult to sit on the bench, footballers’ actions when benched play a crucial part. They are, like it or not, essential to the team’s success.
Most football players are heavily disappointed when left out of the starting eleven. Rightly so. Despite that, we see that they too celebrate goals. Sometimes like mad. Especially on an international level. They have a very legitimate reason for doing so.
They simply feel proud representing their own country beyond imagining. Being a national youth team player for my home country and a club player for many years I can support that claim. The honor you feel when a national anthem plays beats any other honorable footballing feeling.
In addition, such major events occur every four or maybe two years. They are not that often. So, to have a chance to compete and represent your country on such a unique occasion is a blessing.
The above-mentioned blessing and honor both push aside the anger of being left out of the starting eleven. After all, if a country produces a miraculous result, the whole squad is considered to be national heroes. Not just the starters. Are you still wondering why reserves are celebrating goals like mad?
On the other hand, when we come to the club level football, the situation drastically changes. If representing a country symbolizes honor, representing a club symbolizes a job. A paycheck. A fight for survival if you like.
However we put it, footballers are doing a job too. A specific one, yes, but they too have to earn their living. They too have to stand out and are pressured by the competition. Maybe even more than in a regular job.
“If I don’t do it (properly), someone else will. It’s me or them,” you can often hear. So, when their teammate on their position scores, plays well ... their status, position, job … is threatened. They can soon be left out for good and will have to find another club. Seek another chance.
It’s true that top football players earn money beyond imagining. However, there are many professionals and former professionals, like myself, who didn’t earn anywhere near enough in the short 15–20 year career time to financially secure themselves until death.
Therefore, the extra pressure of career shortness also plays a crucial role in the football world.
I am not saying that footballers wish their competitors to fail. After all, they do know that true karma bites back fast. However, they do not particularly wish them to succeed either. Despite that’s not always the best for the team’s effort.
There’s also one thing to look at. Maybe less obvious. Footballers are in their clubs practically every day. They train, celebrate, win, lose … together. So, sometimes it’s just too much.
On the other hand, when playing for a country on such a rare occasion, happier celebrations come forward more naturally.
Therefore, when you see mad celebrations on world cups and other major international events by reserve football players and most often dull ones when it comes to club-level football don’t be surprised.
Moreover, don’t blame the club-level football players. They only fight to survive. As people in ordinary jobs do as well.
