--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I remember World Cups in 1982 and 1986…" description: "\"I remember World Cups in 1982 and 1986 when we weren't there and we'd support Belgium or Denmark, .. They had some players who played in Holland and th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/simon-kuper-23141_belgium_i-remember-world-cups-in-1982-and-1986-w_1973388.png" --- # I remember World Cups in 1982 and 1986 when we weren't… ![“I remember World Cups in 1982 and 1986 when we weren't there and we'd support Belgium or Denmark, .. They had some players who played in Holland and they were a bit like the Dutch.” quote by Simon Kuper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/simon-kuper-23141_belgium_i-remember-world-cups-in-1982-and-1986-w_1973388.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/simon-kuper-23141_belgium_i-remember-world-cups-in-1982-and-1986-w_1973388.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/simon-kuper-23141_belgium_i-remember-world-cups-in-1982-and-1986-w_1973388.png) > “I remember World Cups in 1982 and 1986 when we weren't there and we'd support Belgium or Denmark, .. They had some players who played in Holland and they were a bit like the Dutch.” [Simon Kuper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-kuper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fans often support neighboring nations due to player connections, blurring national lines. **In simple terms:** Cross‑border player ties shape fan loyalty. Key Takeaway Recognize shared identities in sport. Themes identity nationalism sports culture Mood analytical nostalgic Type observational cultural When to use this quote - international tournaments - club transfers - media narratives Key Concepts player migration fan allegiance Questions to Reflect On - How do player origins affect fan support? - Can shared heritage foster broader unity? A Different Perspective National pride can still dominate despite ties. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belgium](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belgium/) [Bits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bits/) [Cups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cups/) [Cups 1982](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cups-1982-3326434/) [Denmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denmark/) [Dutch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dutch/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holland/) [Like Dutch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-dutch-3134751/) [Played Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/played-holland-3326433/) [Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/player/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Support Belgium](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support-belgium-3326435/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World cup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-cup/) [World Cups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-cups/) ## Related quotes > [Sucka shit been known to blow me like a dutch and piff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lola-monroe/sucka-shit-been-known-to-blow-me-like-a-dutch-and-piff/) [Lola Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lola-monroe/) > [Economics is like the Dutch language - I'm told it makes sense, but I have my doubts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/economics-is-like-the-dutch-language-i-m-told-it-makes-sense-but-i/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [I like this world. I like drinking champagne. I like not smoking. I like Dutch people speaking Dutch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-like-this-world-i-like-drinking-champagne-i-like-not-smoking-i-like/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Growing up, you watch players like Ronaldinho playing in World Cups, doing the business, and you idolise these people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheem-sterling/growing-up-you-watch-players-like-ronaldinho-playing-in-world-cups/) [Raheem Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheem-sterling/) > [I've been part of five World Cups and we reached the semis only in 1996.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-lara/i-ve-been-part-of-five-world-cups-and-we-reached-the-semis-only-in/) [Brian Lara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-lara/) > [India riding on MS Dhoni wave, Dhoni is a different man in World Cups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-chappell/india-riding-on-ms-dhoni-wave-dhoni-is-a-different-man-in-world-cups/) [Ian Chappell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-chappell/) > [I have always thought, genuinely thought, that elections are like world cups. They sometimes look easier from the outside and they are very difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-key/i-have-always-thought-genuinely-thought-that-elections-are-like-world/) [John Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-key/) > [I have been following World Cups since I was 11 years old. The competition inspires me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-shankar/i-have-been-following-world-cups-since-i-was-11-years-old-the/) [Vijay Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-shankar/) > [Teams who win World Cups usually have a real anchor, such as Sergio Ramos or Fabio Cannavaro.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-adams/teams-who-win-world-cups-usually-have-a-real-anchor-such-as-sergio/) [Tony Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-adams/) > [I am not an expert in this field but I do try to keep up to date with the Bundesliga. And I do follow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/i-am-not-an-expert-in-this-field-but-i-do-try-to-keep-up-to-date-with/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [Everybody knows my life. I won a lot of tournaments and scored more than 1,000 goals, won three World Cups but I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pel/everybody-knows-my-life-i-won-a-lot-of-tournaments-and-scored-more/) [Pele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pel/) > [I never think I want to go to another World Cup just to be in the record books again and play in six tournaments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-cole/i-never-think-i-want-to-go-to-another-world-cup-just-to-be-in-the/) [Ashley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-cole/) > [The 2018 World Cup was never a problem for me. I was very happy for them and, as I said before, I've had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-coman/the-2018-world-cup-was-never-a-problem-for-me-i-was-very-happy-for/) [Kingsley Coman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-coman/) > [There are pitfalls in World Cups, there are players who can win penalties and players who get the slightest touch and go down holding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-owen/there-are-pitfalls-in-world-cups-there-are-players-who-can-win/) [Michael Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-owen/) > [When you're 38 years old and you've already been in three World Cups... one thing I've learned, especially when you play for your country,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-f-cahill/when-you-re-38-years-old-and-you-ve-already-been-in-three-world-cups/) [Timothy F. Cahill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-f-cahill/) ## More by Simon Kuper > [“The theory of the “wisdom of crowds” says that if you aggregate many different opinions from a diverse group of people, you are much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-kuper/the-theory-of-the-wisdom-of-crowds-says-that-if-you-aggregate-many/) [Simon Kuper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-kuper/) > [Even before 2007, this half of a small island was the richest football country on earth. In 2005-2006 the Premiership's total revenue was about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-kuper/even-before-2007-this-half-of-a-small-island-was-the-richest-football/) [Simon Kuper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-kuper/) > [“It’s sad to say, but it is much easier selling, for example, a crap Brazilian than a brilliant Mexican. The Brazilian gets across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-kuper/it-s-sad-to-say-but-it-is-much-easier-selling-for-example-a-crap/) [Simon Kuper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-kuper/) > [“Entrepreneurs who dip into soccer also keep making the same mistakes. They buy clubs promising to run them “like a business” and disappear a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-kuper/entrepreneurs-who-dip-into-soccer-also-keep-making-the-same-mistakes/) [Simon Kuper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-kuper/) > [Football is not merely a small business, it's also a bad one. Anyone who spends any time inside football soon discovers that just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-kuper/football-is-not-merely-a-small-business-it-s-also-a-bad-one-anyone/) [Simon Kuper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-kuper/) > [Chelsea's players, coaches and agents are now football's wealthiest millionaires. 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It turns out that coaches or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-kuper/you-are-brought-face-to-face-with-the-great-question-about-the-soccer/) [Simon Kuper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-kuper/) > [“The club is not a business. It's a populist democracy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-kuper/the-club-is-not-a-business-it-s-a-populist-democracy/) [Simon Kuper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-kuper/) > [“Stars of Recent World Cups, or European Championships Are Overvalued The worst time to buy a player is in the summer when he’s just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-kuper/stars-of-recent-world-cups-or-european-championships-are-overvalued/) [Simon Kuper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-kuper/) > [“Because soccer clubs are the only businesses that get daily publicity without trying to, they treat journalists as humble supplicants instead of as unpaid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-kuper/because-soccer-clubs-are-the-only-businesses-that-get-daily-publicity/) [Simon Kuper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-kuper/) > [“You don't have to be charming to be a fan among fans.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-kuper/you-don-t-have-to-be-charming-to-be-a-fan-among-fans/) [Simon Kuper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-kuper/) > [Other than sports, only war and catastrophe can create this sort of national unity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-kuper/other-than-sports-only-war-and-catastrophe-can-create-this-sort-of/) [Simon Kuper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-kuper/) [Explore all 26 Simon Kuper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-kuper/) ## More Belgium quotes > [How could you justify giving Holland twice the amount of money that you gave Belgium? Well, finally, I put it up to them. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/how-could-you-justify-giving-holland-twice-the-amount-of-money-that/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [I was born in Belgium and moved to Amsterdam when I was 17. I am not a Calvinist Dutchman but a Catholic Belgian. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-de-clercq/i-was-born-in-belgium-and-moved-to-amsterdam-when-i-was-17-i-am-not-a/) [Eddy de Clercq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-de-clercq/) > [“I've always liked Belgian waffles, but I must say, I didn't think I would one day be having Belgian waffles in Belgium! I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/i-ve-always-liked-belgian-waffles-but-i-must-say-i-didn-t-think-i/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [ “\[...\] little Belgium once again busy at what she does best, tamely offering her battlefield-ready lowlands to boots, hooves, iron wheels, waiting to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pynchon/little-belgium-once-again-busy-at-what-she-does-best-tamely-offering/) [Thomas Pynchon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pynchon/) > [Have we so soon forgotten those four years of terrible carnage, the greatest war of all time; forgotten the millions of men who gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-kellogg/have-we-so-soon-forgotten-those-four-years-of-terrible-carnage-the/) [Frank B. Kellogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-kellogg/) > [Belgium is modernizing itself and it gives me joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-albert-ii/belgium-is-modernizing-itself-and-it-gives-me-joy/) [King Albert II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-albert-ii/) > [“I also liked they Belgian brewers are notoriously rebellious and mock Americans’ obsession with categorizing beers by style; I saw them as arrogant expressionists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-burningham/i-also-liked-they-belgian-brewers-are-notoriously-rebellious-and-mock/) [Lucy Burningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-burningham/) > [I have no idea what a British sensibility or a British sense of humor is. I have no concept of what that is. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-oz/i-have-no-idea-what-a-british-sensibility-or-a-british-sense-of-humor/) [Frank Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-oz/) > [“Greece Portugal Guatemala Uruguay Belgium”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/greece-portugal-guatemala-uruguay-belgium/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [Remember back then we thought about al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan and a few other places? well, we've seen al Qaeda metastasize. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-ridge/remember-back-then-we-thought-about-al-qaeda-in-afghanistan-and/) [Tom Ridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-ridge/) > [One time we played a concert in Antwerp, Belgium. At least I thought it was Antwerp, Belgium. Turns out it was a Stop 'n…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slash/one-time-we-played-a-concert-in-antwerp-belgium-at-least-i-thought-it/) [Slash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slash/) > [When I was a kid in my neighborhood, there was nobody that supported Belgium. It was impossible and unthinkable because there was nothing they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-kompany/when-i-was-a-kid-in-my-neighborhood-there-was-nobody-that-supported/) [Vincent Kompany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-kompany/) > [Eight minutes past the hour here in Belgium - and presumably eight minutes past the hour everywhere in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-walker/eight-minutes-past-the-hour-here-in-belgium-and-presumably-eight/) [Murray Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-walker/) > [WhatsApp provides phone-number-based messaging, and people asked, 'Isn't that what SMS is?' Yes, but SMS is expensive, antiquated, and what WhatsApp did was modernize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-acton/whatsapp-provides-phone-number-based-messaging-and-people-asked-isn-t/) [Brian Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-acton/) > [“The negro workers are still unaware of the force that can give them union organization; happy industrialists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-albert-i-of-belgium/the-negro-workers-are-still-unaware-of-the-force-that-can-give-them/) [King Albert I of Belgium](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-albert-i-of-belgium/) [Browse all 106 Belgium quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belgium/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I remember World Cups in 1982 and 1986 when we weren't there and we'd support Belgium or Denmark, .. 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