Ever since the dawn of time, people have been debating about sports. Whether football should be called association football, soccer, or simply football is just one example of what you might find in recent football history.
When it comes to football fans, some eagerly await the FIFA World Cup, their eyes set on their national team, with hopes of them winning a trophy and using their Pitchinvasion England EURO tips. Realistically, only a few teams on every tournament are competitive enough or rather, have the team needed to beat all other teams in pursuit of the championship.
For Europeans, they can’t wait for the next European Championship, or more commonly, the Euros, to take place. The Euros have their teams compete in a domestic environment, with more of them possibly entering the final tournament. Even fans from around the world watch the Euros, their eyes set on the possible competition. National teams are very different to football clubs you see in the Champions League. So, which competition is better, Euros or the World Cup? It’s a very difficult question.
The Euros – A (Relatively) Local Tournament
When you look at the level of popularity in Europe, football beats everything else. It is also the most popular sport in the world. European clubs are the most successful ones, as well as the ones all aspiring players strive to join. Whether you enter the English Premier League or the Bundeslinga, as a player, you have already succeeded in doing something many players can only dream of.
But, these clubs are just that, clubs, which have players from all over the world. When national competitions are taking place, all of them go their separate ways and to their own national teams. Every once in a while, a super team is created, with a collection of talented players who firstly communicate and play well together, and then show off their individual skills. Look at Spain and their 2008 Euros, their 2010 World Cup and their 2012 Euros. They took home 3 titles in 3 consecutive international tournaments, two local, or rather, European, and a World Cup title. With the Euros, you get to see these players more often than you would at the World Cup, even though both tournaments are four years apart, two from each other.
The Euros are perfect for local viewers and fans, who love seeing their players qualify for an entire year, and then play in the finals in the next year, hopefully.
FIFA World Cup – An International Masterpiece
The World Cup is a quadrennial tournament which everyone is looking at, even two years away. For some, two years is a long time, for professional footballers and fans, that is just two seasons which can already tell you whether a team is going to work or not. Football fans speculate a lot, but so do the bookmakers. The World Cup is a playing field where every country in the world gets a chance to participate through qualifications. Well, every team gets a chance depending on how they do in their confederation. There is always a selection process which is cumbersome to some of the teams, and really favorable for those at the top of the ladder.
There is one thing which the World Cup does better than the Euros, and that is surprising us. The World Cup has more teams, meaning more potential upsets or underdogs overperforming, whatever you want to call it. It also attracts more attention, given that teams from all over the world will qualify. What about the competition, where do you find a bigger challenge?
World Cup VS Euros – Which has the Bigger Challenge?
People often think that the World Cup has plenty of countries, or rather, the best in the world. While this is strictly through, the best from one confederation might not even be close to the worst of another confederation. Football is a very competitive sport. The most competitive regions which produce the best football teams are Europe and South America, or rather the UEFA and CONMEBOL. The World Cup has fewer teams who can offer the same level of competition as the European ones. The teams from Europe are also more competitive, as well as the teams from South America. The World Cup makes possible the creation of groups of life and death, even more so than the Euros. This means that some teams will have a really tough time and then a very easy one, or vice versa.
The Euros are different in that regard. The level of competition is often much closer, as at least two or three or even more European national teams are often favorites to win the World Cup. South America also has its favorites, often in Brazil and Argentina, but lately Uruguay, as well. Rarely do the other teams offer the same level of competition, often making the Euros a harder tournament. But, as mentioned before, the World Cup has more surprises, given that it has teams most other teams know nothing about, which means different playstyles and potential upsets.
Which Has More Viewers?
The Euros are always appealing, but there are only so many people in Europe. Yes, some people who enjoy watching football will want to watch the Euros, but it is definitely not a priority for everyone. But, when the World Cup is on, everyone lowers their voice and starts watching and listening. Viewing parties are common, especially in pubs. Football is the most popular sport in the world, so you should expect the entire world to tune in when the World Cup is airing. Some of the world’s largest countries by popularity often attend the World Cup, namely India and China. You can bet that the viewer count goes up a lot.
The European Championship is really, really popular, but compared to the World Cup, it is just another tournament. Everyone wants to be kind of the world, as they say, but the king of Europe is not that bad, either, considering that the level of play is often higher.
Which is Better for Betting?
This is a large part of football culture which cannot be ignored. Every football competition, whether the Premier League, European Championship, Copa America or the World Cup, get lots of viewers. They also get a lot of attention from punters, professionals and regular bettors alike.
For someone who does a lot of research, the World Cup is definitely a better place to bet. It will have lots of teams who might surprise other teams and bookmakers, but not the avid researcher. That same researcher will know to stay away from silly bets, as well. Given that the level of play might vary a lot on the World Cup, from group to group, it is definitely a better tournament for professional punters.
When it comes to regular bettors who just like cheering for their own team, well, the World Cup might also be the better tournament for betting. If you are from any country other than the European ones, the World Cup is the obvious choice.
If you are a European, however, and are not as avid of a bettor or researcher as some punters and professionals are, then you should bet on the European Championship. Chances are that some of your friends will have a clue about the strengths of each team, especially since you can get a feel of the teams early on during the qualifying tournament.
Which One Should You Visit?
This question can be answered by a couple of other, sub-questions. Is your national team playing? Are you a fan of football? If your national team is playing, then either of the two tournaments is an option. If you are a fan of football, then again, both are an option.
While they are an option on paper, or in dreams, you should also be realistic about the travel expenses. The World Cup takes place in a different country every four years. You can get the information about the hosts in advance. That also means you could prepare financially for such a trip.
For the Euros, you also know that a European country will be hosting the tournament, so visiting can be planned on time, as well. You often know at least four years in advance, for both the tournaments. Have in mind that whether you visit one or another, to watch the matches live, you will most likely have a great time. A live crowd can really heat up the atmosphere and make everything entertaining.
Both the World Cup and the European Championship are two tournaments which you will have fun watching. The 2018 FIFA World Cup has passed, leaving us with information as to who might do well on the UEFA EURO 2020 tournament.
Regarding which tournament is better and which one you should watch, the answer completely depends on what you like and whether your country is playing. If you are a fan of football, then both tournaments are a must-watch. The debate will probably go on, as most versus debates do, yet the two tournaments will keep on producing quality matches, sportsmanship, athleticism and entertainment.
