Why Are Football Fans So F*cking Miserable?!

Why Is There So Much Toxicity in Football?

As football fans, we can all be a bit grouchy sometimes. Your team loses to someone lower down the table, your favourite player is linked with another club, you get knocked out of the cup - every fan knows the feeling, and we usually fall into a bad mood for a few hours before moving on.

Some fans take it upon themselves to spread next level negativity, instead of enjoying the game as it was meant to be enjoyed, make it their entire personality to troll, insult and dismiss even the most innocent of circumstances around the football world.

A prime example came in the wake of Kairat Almaty’s 4-1 defeat to Club Brugge on Tuesday night - 4-0 down in the 92nd minute, substitute midfielder Adilet Sadybekov pulled a moment of brilliance out of the bag, bringing the ball down brilliantly before caressing a volley into the bottom corner from 25 yards.

The Kazakhstani club are Champions League newcomers, and are having the time of their lives in Europe’s premier club competition, being blessed with trips to Lisbon, Milan, Copenhagen and, next week, London to face Arsenal.

So it was little surprise to any of us that despite scoring an unimportant consolation in a heavy defeat, Sadybekov enjoyed his Champions League moment, running over to the home fans and taking his shirt off in a moment of unbridled joy.

However, some social media fans didn’t even consider allowing him to have his moment, instead pointing out the score or stating that he is simply taking the opportunity to promote himself.

4-1 down btw. pic.twitter.com/IvzppGnLsq

— Paddy - Attacking Football (@PaddyKeoghAF) January 20, 2026

What a sad little life, Jane.

Healthy Rivalry vs Unhealthy Rivalry

It goes without saying that rivalry is a natural part of football. Sometimes, there is nothing better than meeting up with your mates and animatedly discussing which of your teams has the best all-time XI, or if they would take one striker over another.

The same goes for when rival clubs play each other - as a Chelsea fan I have mates who support Arsenal, Tottenham and a host of other rivals, and though we will never have a favourite club in common, we always have opinions we are willing to express to one another, no matter whether they are genuine opinions or simply attempted ragebait.

That’s part of the fun in football, and even when rivalries get more intense than just talking, it is all in the name of pride, history, and intense prior experiences from more than 100 years of meetings between two clubs.

Go fuck yourself if you’re still defending this under the guise of some fake blind positivity based on nothing other than Thomas Frank not having enough time. It’s the worst football we’ve ever had to watch. It’s the same every single week. It never changes. Every game looks the…

— SeanTHFC (@sufferingspurs) January 1, 2026

But there is a line between healthy and unhealthy rivalry that shouldn't be crossed, and that is where legitimate criticism and founded accusations go out the window.

Sadybekov's goal is a moment that the midfielder will savour for the rest of his life, a goal written into family and quite possibly town folklore, and one that his grandchildren's grandchildren will whisper with reverence: "I'm a descendant of a Champions League goalscorer."

There is no need to ruin a life-changing moment with an out-of-touch statement about the scoreline when the team are already at the bottom of the Champions League table.

Football and Negativity

Whether you like it or not, negativity has been embedded in footballing culture since the game's inception.

Players, managers and fans alike partake in some less than acceptable behaviour, with a minority hurling racial abuse at foreign players, while others throw needless criticism at young players and new signings who have barely been able to wrap their heads around the fact they have either broken into the first team or had to move city and, in some cases, country.

More recently, in the age of the rise of social media, negativity has been made infinitely easier to spread, as with one post, one tweet or one story, thousands, and occasionally even millions, can be reached, highlighting the sheer power that technology holds.

Perhaps this negativity stems from the human desire to be competitive, to be better than the rest, and thus to be more perceptive and more critical than perhaps they ought to be.

Over the course of history, we have been shown numerous times that competition can equally bring out the best and worst in people. Sportsmanship, loyalty and perseverance often grab headlines, but scandals such as doping, public outbursts of rage, and blame games often get the lion's share of publicity, consequently exhibiting the sport in a negative light.

⚪️This man is complete and utter headloss.

💪Proper fighter mentality.

Looking at another lengthy time on the sidelines😂#Osmajic #EFL #Preston pic.twitter.com/0TvXbwlht9

— Football Park (@FP_CentreCircle) January 21, 2026

The media does the legwork, and the fans and the laypeople pick up on their dissenting views without a second thought, making it a part of who they are in the sports sphere and spreading these anti-views ever further.

It is ingrained in society, and there is only so much people can do to break the cycle. But it takes little to no effort to look past the dark cloud and instead search for the silver linings. Understanding reactions, such as Sadybekov's celebration, and accepting mistakes and moving on, such as Rodri's 60-second red card last night, is so much healthier than immediately resorting to criticism and cynicism.

So next time you see a football opinion, video, or quote that you instinctively disagree with, step back, take a breath, and look at it through fresh eyes You may be surprised with what you see.