World Cup: Cheering For England Feels Very Similar To Supporting Maple Leafs

There have been a surprising amount of upsets, ties and commanding performances so far in the World Cup in South Africa.  One of those stunners was England's recent tie with Algeria 0-0, an eighth ranked team failing to score any goals against the 30th ranked team.  Fans of England watching from Ontario might have noticed something strange: how England's performance on the world stage seems to almost mirror that of Toronto's beloved Leafs team.

This may seem like a stretch to some, but try comparing the two for a while and you might notice some eerie similarities.  For instance, England won it's one and only World Cup in 1966, the same year that it hosted the tournament.  The Maple Leafs won their last Stanley Cup in 1967, one year after England.

Canada and England claim hockey and soccer as their own respectively, thus a massive fan base is virtually guaranteed in these countries where the modern versions of the sports originated.  The Maple Leafs and England are consistently dealing with huge expectations due to their almost rabid supporters, and management always seems to encourage it by declaring unrealistic goals. 

The Leafs have missed the playoffs for the last five consecutive seasons, yet at the start of almost every one of those seasons, management would declare that they expect to compete and make the playoffs. 

England, on the other hand, has qualified for the last three World Cups, but have always struggled to make it to the finals, despite the managers confidence that this is the year they will win it.  They have constantly changed managers, in the hopes that maybe they can find the combination to guide them to glory, but none has been successful. 

With Brian Burke's entrance as Toronto's GM, the owners of the Leafs tried to reverse years of mismanagement and what seemed like a disregard for the hopes of the fans.  So often, previous managers would pursue former stars or free agents in the hopes that they would carry the team to glory.  You might remember such names as Ron Francis and Eric Lindros, brought to Toronto past their prime in the hopes that they could surge back to prominence.  Even when Toronto's stars did perform as expected, such as Mats Sundin or Doug Gilmour, they didn't have the support around them to make it to the Finals. 

In each World Cup, England's dreams are pinned on their superstars at the tournament, this year Wayne Rooney carries the burden, in the past David Beckham and Michael Owen had the dubious honour. Yet Rooney has been far less than dominant.  Whether it is his struggles to perform on the national team, or his lack of cohesive support in teammates like Emile Heskey, Rooney's lack of finish in the World Cup is damaging England's World Cup hopes once again.

For fans of both teams, a thick skin of disappointment has built up over time, but who knows, maybe this year.....?