National team
Encyclopedia
A National sports team (commonly known as a national team or national side), is a team
that represents a nation
, rather than a particular club
or region, in a sport.
The term is most commonly associated with team sport
s; however it can be applied to groups of individuals representing a country in where regular play is individuals by aggregating individual scores to a get a team result.
National teams often compete at various levels and age groups and there are number of different selection criteria for national teams. National teams are not always composed of the best available individual players.
National teams, like other sporting teams are often grouped, by sex, age or other criteria. The most prestigious national teams are often the senior men's team, however they may not be the most popular or successful.
. A national team may be popular even though the competition it competes in is not. For example, the Papua New Guinea national rugby league team
is extremely popular because the sport is popular in the country, even though the highest competition it competes in - the Rugby League World Cup
- is not.
Competitions with the most teams involved offer the most international competition and are often most popular. The most popular multi-sport international competitions that include team sports include the Olympic Games
, Commonwealth Games
are relatively open for participation. Other competitions that are specific to sports, such as the FIFA World Cup
(Association Football), Rugby World Cup
(Rugby union) and Cricket World Cup
(cricket
) allow many countries to qualify.
For instance, the popularity of the Socceroos is heightened during the FIFA World Cup simply due to participation in a global event.
However, how even the competition is also matters. Even if there are a large number of participants, if a handful of teams dominate or if many of the teams are from countries where the sport lack sufficient depth to field a quality side, then the overall competition will not be taken seriously. For instance, Rugby League World Cup
has been criticised for an uneven competition, and as a result, the popularity of many of its teams, including Australia where rugby league
's popularity is highest.
In other countries, domestic competitions may be more competitive and offer a higher standard of play and reward.
athletics team or a Davis Cup
team), players may be selected by a managers and coaches appointed by a national sport association
such as the Football Association or the Canadian Hockey Association
, a team may have to win a national championship in order to receive the right to represent their nation (as in the World Curling Championships
).
In some cases, players are either deliberately excluded or choose not to represent their national team on the basis of not being remunerated. This can affect the relative performance of a team. For instance, after allowing professional players, the USA men's national basketball team dramatically jumped up the world rankings.
In other cases, players may be contracted to a club, at home or abroad. As a result, their primary loyalty may be to their club rather than their country, especially if the competition that the national team is playing in does not offer the same prestige.
Team
A team comprises a group of people or animals linked in a common purpose. Teams are especially appropriate for conducting tasks that are high in complexity and have many interdependent subtasks.A group in itself does not necessarily constitute a team...
that represents a nation
Nation
A nation may refer to a community of people who share a common language, culture, ethnicity, descent, and/or history. In this definition, a nation has no physical borders. However, it can also refer to people who share a common territory and government irrespective of their ethnic make-up...
, rather than a particular club
Sports club
A sports club or sport club, sometimes athletics club or sports association is a club for the purpose of playing one or more sports...
or region, in a sport.
The term is most commonly associated with team sport
Team sport
A team sport includes any sport which involves players working together towards a shared objective. A team sport is an activity in which a group of individuals, on the same team, work together to accomplish an ultimate goal which is usually to win. This can be done in a number of ways such as...
s; however it can be applied to groups of individuals representing a country in where regular play is individuals by aggregating individual scores to a get a team result.
National teams often compete at various levels and age groups and there are number of different selection criteria for national teams. National teams are not always composed of the best available individual players.
National teams, like other sporting teams are often grouped, by sex, age or other criteria. The most prestigious national teams are often the senior men's team, however they may not be the most popular or successful.
Popularity and Notability
The popularity and notability of a national team depends on a number of factors.Popularity and Participation
Popularity of a national team also depends on the popularity of the sport in that country. In some countries a particular sport is very popular and sometimes a national sportNational sport
A national sport or national pastime is a sport or game that is considered to be an intrinsic part of the culture of a nation. Some sports are de facto national sports, as baseball is in the U.S., while others are de jure as lacrosse and ice hockey are in Canada.-De jure national sports:-De facto...
. A national team may be popular even though the competition it competes in is not. For example, the Papua New Guinea national rugby league team
Papua New Guinea national rugby league team
The Papua New Guinea national rugby league team represents Papua New Guinea internationally in the sport of rugby league football.In Papua New Guinea, Rugby league is highly popular and is regarded as the country’s national sport. The national side are known as the Kumuls...
is extremely popular because the sport is popular in the country, even though the highest competition it competes in - the Rugby League World Cup
Rugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
- is not.
Demographics
A particular sport in a country may be more popular among certain groups. For example, a women's team may be more popular than a men's team if there is a greater participation in the sport.Popularity of the Competition
The popularity of the international competition that a team participates in has the biggest influence on the popularity of national sports team. There is a certain amount of prestige which is associated with competing on the "world stage".Competitions with the most teams involved offer the most international competition and are often most popular. The most popular multi-sport international competitions that include team sports include the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
, Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
are relatively open for participation. Other competitions that are specific to sports, such as the FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
(Association Football), Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
(Rugby union) and Cricket World Cup
Cricket World Cup
The ICC Cricket World Cup is the premier international championship of men's One Day International cricket. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Cricket Council , with preliminary qualification rounds leading up to a finals tournament which is held every four years...
(cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
) allow many countries to qualify.
For instance, the popularity of the Socceroos is heightened during the FIFA World Cup simply due to participation in a global event.
However, how even the competition is also matters. Even if there are a large number of participants, if a handful of teams dominate or if many of the teams are from countries where the sport lack sufficient depth to field a quality side, then the overall competition will not be taken seriously. For instance, Rugby League World Cup
Rugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
has been criticised for an uneven competition, and as a result, the popularity of many of its teams, including Australia where rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
's popularity is highest.
Competitiveness or Success of Team
Popularity of a national team can also be due to a team being successful even if the sport itself is not popular in a country.Strength of Domestic Competition
In many countries, the national team is the highest level of play available and as a result, it is often most popular with fans and spectators from that country.In other countries, domestic competitions may be more competitive and offer a higher standard of play and reward.
Individual selection and participation
Depending on the sport, nation, and era in question, membership on the national team maybe earned through individual play (as is the case for an OlympicOlympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
athletics team or a Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
team), players may be selected by a managers and coaches appointed by a national sport association
Sport governing body
A sport governing body is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function. Sport governing bodies come in various forms, and have a variety of regulatory functions. Examples of this can include disciplinary action for rule infractions and deciding on rule changes in the sport...
such as the Football Association or the Canadian Hockey Association
Canadian Hockey Association
Canadian Hockey Association can refer to:* Canadian Hockey Association , a men's professional ice hockey league* Hockey Canada, formally known as the Canadian Hockey Association, the governing body for ice hockey in Canada...
, a team may have to win a national championship in order to receive the right to represent their nation (as in the World Curling Championships
World Curling Championships
The World Curling Championships are annual curling events which showcase the world's best curlers, organized by the World Curling Federation. There are men's, women's and mixed championships. The men's championship started in 1959, while the women's in 1979...
).
Professionalism vs amateurism
In some national teams representatives play for the love of their sport and country. However in others, individual players are paid to represent their country.In some cases, players are either deliberately excluded or choose not to represent their national team on the basis of not being remunerated. This can affect the relative performance of a team. For instance, after allowing professional players, the USA men's national basketball team dramatically jumped up the world rankings.
In other cases, players may be contracted to a club, at home or abroad. As a result, their primary loyalty may be to their club rather than their country, especially if the competition that the national team is playing in does not offer the same prestige.