Last night some friends and I were sitting in the front half of a drainingly hot, smokey, smelly bar watching Spain battle it out with Italy in the Euro-Copa quarter finals. In a large room behind us, 40 or 50 crazed supporters were watching the same game, on the same channel yet, infuriatingly, they were getting the signal 3 seconds ahead of us.
This meant that their ‘oooooooooh’s and ‘ayyyyyyyy’s would let us know that whatever was looking like an exciting dash towards the goal on our tele, was already another cock up in real time on theirs. Most annoying. Turns out they were watching an analogue signal on a huge old TV, whilst our plasma TV used the newer, but delayed, digital tuner technology. That’s the thanks you get for splashing out on a newer Television.
At half time we couldn’t take another minute of the the heat, smoke, and pre-emptive groans from the room next door, and went back to a friend’s house to see Spain eventually make it through to the semi-finals for the first time in a major competition in about 3,000 years. More of the same on Thursday!
In other (related?) news, classy on-line paper 20minutos.com reports that Spanish women are the most depressed in Europe (no doubt because their men are so obsessed with the football), whilst the men are the second most depressed after the British, and continent-leaders on the anxiety ladder.
Thinking this sounded unlikely (penalty shoot-outs aside, Spanish men don’t look all that anxious), I tried to google my way to the original article in the British Journal of Psychiatry, coming away only with this far more likely sounding article from 2001 in the Telegraph:
Liverpool worst city in Europe for depression. People living in Liverpool are more than twice as likely to be depressed as people in other parts of Europe … The lowest rate was found in Santander, where only one in 40 people was a sufferer.
Whatever the case, if Spain win when the final whistle blows against the Russians in Thursday’s semi-finals, expect half of Spain to become instantly, euphoricly un-depressed… followed by the other, more up-to-date half of the country with better TV’s three seconds later.
richardksa
23 Jun 08 at 10:39 am
I had the same thing. I live opposite a Bingo/Pool/Bar Hall. While I watched with relaxed detatchment in my appartment the roars from across the road echoed through my open windows like like a aural tsunami. But oh, the deafening silence when one of spain’s panalty shoots was saved. The cheers, the fireworks, the trumpet playing, the car horns, the singing at the end of the match I am sure registered 8 on the richter scale.
Where can I hide on Thursdays?
luke
23 Jun 08 at 10:59 am
Casiiiiilllllaaas!!
Tom
23 Jun 08 at 11:09 am
They cheered here like they’d won the bloody world cup! I suspect that many people having a ‘puente’ for tomorrow’s Sant Joan holiday meant that everyone could have one or two more Estrellas.
Right. I need to go and buy some fireworks.
Parubin
23 Jun 08 at 11:30 am
We deserved it !! Last night I was so anxious I couldn’t even afford to be happy after the game. It was more like a feeling of relief.
We overcame all our ghosts from the past, against the strongest and most boring opponent. We even made them try their own medicine : out in the last blink.
Football is passion, and humans we are so simple and easy to make happy that even a penalty saved by a fellow citizen whom we don’t know or don’t have anything in common with, can make us shout, scream and cry in happiness.
Long live these little entertainments that fill us with passion with so little effort on our side.
Dean Hunt
23 Jun 08 at 12:14 pm
The current Italy team is the weakest it has been in my lifetime, and it showed, but fair play to Spain, they deserved the win and got it.
I can’t wait for Thursday.
Good luck.
Dean
Frank
23 Jun 08 at 1:17 pm
“against the strongest and most boring opponent.”
I think you matched them there!
Congratulations on the win, but what a boring game! I found myself frequently going on the computer, perhaps that’s when you played the exciting bits, I missed them! 
Jonk
23 Jun 08 at 5:55 pm
Yay Spain! Well done to the seleccion!
Although I think the nation will write Russia off as would be tempting, it will be a dangerous exercise. Russia has been trained very hard for this tournament and are probably the most fit team that came. Spain doesn’t want to go to extra time again.
Jonathan
23 Jun 08 at 7:47 pm
These are tough times in Spain, and last night was the one unmitigated blast of joy there’s been since the depressing lead in to the depressing elections. It might be the opium of the masses, but who cares if it all creates a few days of joy? What’s worrying is how hard they had to work against a tired-looking Italian side. Next up – those new kids on the block Russia, all freshness and bold ideas, with a manager, Gus Hiddink, who knows Spanish football inside out. Will his footballing brains be a match for that jittery old fox Luis Aragonés?
MrMark
23 Jun 08 at 10:09 pm
Well, the commentators made the point on British tv that only one team (ie Spain) tried to win during normal time, so from that point of view the best team got through. I can’t help feeling however that if Italy had had a decent forward on the pitch (is Toni the least effective forward ever?) that the scoreline would have been different. Nevermind, at least the penalty jinx was scrubbed. Lot’s of luck to the Spanish national selection on Thursday – they’re going to need it against the Russians, who are currently on form.
coops
24 Jun 08 at 12:06 am
¡Podemos!
Anwar
24 Jun 08 at 12:20 am
Hi, Ben.
I believe I’ve identified the article in question. Here’s the citation as well as the abstract and contact information for the researchers. If you’d like the complete text of the article, you’ll have to go to a library or find some other organization or person that has a print or electronic subscription to the British Journal of Psychiatry. Despite what many people think, Google is rubbish for trying to find certain kinds of information; although you may have had better luck trying Google Scholar (I’m assuming you didn’t use it).
“Prevalence of common mental disorders in general practice attendees across Europe.”
Br J Psychiatry. 2008 May;192(5):362-7.
King M, Nazareth I, Levy G, Walker C, Morris R, Weich S, Bellón-Saameño JA, Moreno B, Svab I, Rotar D, Rifel J, Maaroos HI, Aluoja A, Kalda R, Neeleman J, Geerlings MI, Xavier M, de Almeida MC, Correa B, Torres-Gonzalez F.
Department of Mental Health Sciences, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London, UK. m.king@medsch.ucl.ac.uk
BACKGROUND: There is evidence that the prevalence of common mental disorders varies across Europe. AIMS: To compare prevalence of common mental disorders in general practice attendees in six European countries. METHOD: Unselected attendees to general practices in the UK, Spain, Portugal, Slovenia, Estonia and The Netherlands were assessed for major depression, panic syndrome and other anxiety syndrome. Prevalence of DSM-IV major depression, other anxiety syndrome and panic syndrome was compared between the UK and other countries after taking account of differences in demographic factors and practice consultation rates. RESULTS: Prevalence was estimated in 2,344 men and 4,865 women. The highest prevalence for all disorders occurred in the UK and Spain, and lowest in Slovenia and The Netherlands. Men aged 30-50 and women aged 18-30 had the highest prevalence of major depression; men aged 40-60 had the highest prevalence of anxiety, and men and women aged 40-50 had the highest prevalence of panic syndrome. Demographic factors accounted for the variance between the UK and Spain but otherwise had little impact on the significance of observed country differences. CONCLUSIONS: These results add to the evidence for real differences between European countries in prevalence of psychological disorders and show that the burden of care on general practitioners varies markedly between countries.
Jules
24 Jun 08 at 9:21 am
@Richard
“The cheers, the fireworks, the trumpet playing, the car horns, the singing at the end of the match I am sure registered 8 on the richter scale.”
Isn’t this a nightly occurrence in Madrid?
Ben
24 Jun 08 at 11:10 am
@Anwar – thanks for finding that!
@Jules –
hellin
24 Jun 08 at 11:23 am
it is not the first time that Spain makes it to the semifinals , you morons.¡ She won the european cup in 1964 ,altought your ever lasting pride will not admit it
hellin
24 Jun 08 at 11:25 am
what about laughable british soccer ‘ ? is it still in ruins¿
hellin
24 Jun 08 at 11:27 am
Cristiano will end up by playing here, since someone or other wants to show the premier that it is just a second best
hf
24 Jun 08 at 11:27 am
state of yer wan in the Mayo shirt
hellin
24 Jun 08 at 11:32 am
tough times in Spain,? her economy will grow more than avarage in the euro zone even this year,
luke
24 Jun 08 at 11:37 am
@hellin
Watch BBC sports and you’ll see that many British people (since the start of the the Italy match) want Spain to win. Most Brits respect Spanish football.
!Venga Espan~a!
Dean Hunt
24 Jun 08 at 12:24 pm
Hellin,
English soccer is currently the most viewed and most successful league in the world.
The recent champions league final was between two English teams. It is the most financially wealthy league, and is by far the most entertaining.
If you are referring to English soccer in terms of national teams… then yes, it is in ruins
bill
24 Jun 08 at 12:25 pm
@hellin – nobody has said it’s the first time Spain has made the semi-finals. We know they won in 1964, and also reached the final in 1984. Learn to read and lighten up!
We’re all supporting Spain here and somehow you still manage to take offence!
Parubin
24 Jun 08 at 1:36 pm
The truth is that even in recent years Spanish teams have been more successful in European competicions and most of the better players worldwide play or have in La Liga. Even in the last three years (the most succesful years of the EPL) Spanish teams have won more (FC Barcelona won the CL and Seville the UEFA cup twice).
Both leagues are very enternaining and if you like one better than the othe is just a matter of preference or adscription. The EPL is faster and more direct towards the goal and La Liga is more technical and with higher overall quality. I’d say that the better teams in both Leagues are about the same (FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Seville, Valencia or Atlético can compete with the likes of Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool) but maybe the teams in the middle of the table are better in Spain (just see the performance of the medium sized Spanish teams in UEFA cup in the recent years).
I wouldn’t say the EPS is “by far” the most entertaining, nor would I say so about La Liga. They are both the best two competitions in the world, as I agree the Italian Serie A is plain boring and the French and German leagues are not up to the same standard.
The EPL has some real good years (like this one) but La Liga has been dominant in Europe in recent years too. Not long ago we had too an all-Spanish CL final, I’m sure you remember.
Jonk
24 Jun 08 at 2:34 pm
It’s difficult to watch the EPL after watching La Liga. While both leagues have similar skill, the EPL has a much more brutish style.
La Liga #1 for style, watchability. EPL #1 for extreme marketing juggernaut.
Billy T.
24 Jun 08 at 3:38 pm
I’m curious, when the national team is playing do the rival Barca and Madridlenos put aside their differences and cheer together for the Spanish side?
luke
24 Jun 08 at 6:07 pm
Off on a tangent Spanglish football trivia:
“Seville was the venue for the first official football game played in Spain. On 8 March 1890 at the Tablada Hippodrome a team from the Seville Water Works defeated the Huelva Recreation Club 2-0. With the exception of two Spanish players on the Huelva team, the players on both teams were British.”
Dean Hunt
24 Jun 08 at 6:11 pm
I am referring to which league is currently the most successful, which of course, is the English Premier League…
Now, if we are going back 2 years, then yes, I would agree that La Liga was better.
I must stress the word “currently” though.
Anyway, I will be and have been supporting Spain all the way through the competition, so let’s get off the inferiority complex and all join together in cheering Spain to the final.
Ben
24 Jun 08 at 6:19 pm
Atletic de Bilbao was started by the Brits too I heard. I wonder if the term ‘mister’ for the manager came from the early Brit influences in Spanish football…
bill
24 Jun 08 at 6:46 pm
@Ben – I heard that the term ‘mister’ did come from British influences. Athletic Bilbao was started by sailors from Sunderland apparently, hence they wear the same colours and call themselves “Athletic” instead of “Atletico”. Other famous British influences include AC Milan still calling themselves “Milan” instead of “Milano” and Juventus playing in the colours of Notts County – the oldest professional football club … are you still awake at the back there?
Ben
24 Jun 08 at 7:02 pm
@Bill, thanks, I though that made sense! Didn’t know about all the other Brit influenced clubs though… well I suppose we did invent the sport… though you wouldn’t know it from this years Euro draw!
Tom
24 Jun 08 at 7:17 pm
Ben – the thing is that the other countries practise beforehand, which ruins the fun.
John Ross
24 Jun 08 at 9:13 pm
@Ben
>>At half time we couldn’t take another minute of the the heat, smoke, and pre-emptive groans from the room next door,
You don’t like heat, cigarette smoke or the sounds made by football fans? You really are in the wrong country, aren’t you?
Ben
25 Jun 08 at 12:12 am
@John, “You really are in the wrong country, aren’t you?” – you obviously didn’t read what I wrote properly, did you?
coops
26 Jun 08 at 10:33 pm
Podemos! Spain reach the final!
ValenciaSon
27 Jun 08 at 3:40 am
Why compare La Liga with the Premier League when both leagues have players and coaches going from one league to the other?