National Team Rivalries

[canadiantarheel]

Hello All I'm the one who started this thread and I appreciate a lot of the posts but as I said when I started this thread I was interested in the rivalries outside of the Big Six as those are fairly well known. I was more so curious nations such as Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Austria, France, Italy, Norway, Great Britain consider to be their main rivals.

 

[Shawn Heins 44]

Hello All I'm the one who started this thread and I appreciate a lot of the posts but as I said when I started this thread I was interested in the rivalries outside of the Big Six as those are fairly well known. I was more so curious nations such as Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Austria, France, Italy, Norway, Great Britain consider to be their main rivals.

As a Swiss, in hockey I hate nothing more than losing to Germany. The last years they really had our numbers and it hurts every time as mostly I feel like we have the more talented roster, but they always find a way to make us not play our best hockey.

As for non-hockey sports I hate losing to Austria, but hockey they are not good enough to be a real rival.

 

[BlizzardSloth]

Hello All I'm the one who started this thread and I appreciate a lot of the posts but as I said when I started this thread I was interested in the rivalries outside of the Big Six as those are fairly well known. I was more so curious nations such as Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Austria, France, Italy, Norway, Great Britain consider to be their main rivals.

For Switzerland it's mostly Germany and Sweden. The rivalry with Germany is kind of a big brother thing since they're the giant next to us and is present in pretty much every sport. Sweden is more a recent thing since they beat "us" in two gold medal games in 2013 & 2018.

 

[Eye of Ra]

For Switzerland it's mostly Germany and Sweden. The rivalry with Germany is kind of a big brother thing since they're the giant next to us and is present in pretty much every sport. Sweden is more a recent thing since they beat "us" in two gold medal games in 2013 & 2018.

Sweden and Switzerland had some tough battles already in 1998 WC. It was 2 games semifinals, with Sweden winning it.

 

[BlizzardSloth]

Sweden and Switzerland had some tough battles already in 1998 WC. It was 2 games semifinals, with Sweden winning it.

Yes. But it really picked up steam during the last decade. In 1998 Switzerland did not stand a chance. In 2013 and 2018 there was an actual chance to get the gold medal. Also, the fact that Sweden won the round of 16-game at the 2018 FIFA world cup against Switzerland did not help either.

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

For Switzerland it's mostly Germany and Sweden. The rivalry with Germany is kind of a big brother thing since they're the giant next to us and is present in pretty much every sport. Sweden is more a recent thing since they beat "us" in two gold medal games in 2013 & 2018.

Yes. But it really picked up steam during the last decade. In 1998 Switzerland did not stand a chance. In 2013 and 2018 there was an actual chance to get the gold medal. Also, the fact that Sweden won the round of 16-game at the 2018 FIFA world cup against Switzerland did not help either.

It’s not the sexiest match ups in either sport but I guess it’s good our national teams are pitted against each other once in a while so people stop confusing the countries!

But yeah, I think in 2013 it was kind of unfortunate for Switzerland, it was a weird tournament per my recollection where most teams didn’t feature many NHL stars but the Sedins came and super-charged our team, memorably with Loui Eriksson as the perfect right winger. They didn’t recreate that magic too often in Vancouver, that’s for sure. Switzerland had done well to get to the finals but that wasn’t ever much of a game.

In 2018, however, Sweden possibly had an even better team but that final was tight. You know shootouts aren’t much more than a series of coin tosses, Switzerland absolutely could have done us in. Making the World Championship finals twice in five years and making a game of it the second time definitely convinced me that Switzerland has made the big boys club, great for hockey but my man Anders Nilsson played a great game in net that year and kept you waiting. Third time’s the charm?

I also think that was the year everyone thought Team USA would win because Patrick Kane was the man of that tournament, but Sweden scorched them in the semifinals. I think Canada had a cool looking bunch as well with McDavid putting on a show, but goaltending was identified as an achilles heel early on. It’s hard to believe Curtis McElhinney would make the starter role most years but I think that was the case.

Funny you bring up the World Cup, I just thought about some English writer after that game, who tasked himself with listing the most boring games of the tournament. He listed the words to spell something like “You’re not entitled to complain when treated to a full month of non-stop, world class football, so shut your mouth and enjoy the show while it lasts”, then at the bottom: “Sweden vs. Switzerland”.

I was working during the game but they extended our break to let us see the second half. All I remember is Martin Olsson finding himself on a breakaway (is that even a term in football?): I think he’d been subbed in as a midfielder or forward when usually he plays left wing. He’s a competent dribbler but he completely looked like he hadn’t been in a situation like that since he was six or something, just inching in on the goalkeeper in slow motion for several seconds before it all fizzled into nothing.

 

[BlizzardSloth]

It’s not the sexiest match ups in either sport but I guess it’s good our national teams are pitted against each other once in a while so people stop confusing the countries!

I absolutely agree here!

2013 was kind of an unreal WHC, Switzerland rushed through the tournament without a single loss only to get slapped by Sweden in the gold medal game. 2018 was a great year and a really good roster for a Swiss NT, that showed in the finals as well. If only Fiala didn't miss the net in OT.

Third time’s the charm?

I doubt Switzerland is gonna make the finals anytime soon, but if they do, I hope it's not Sweden again

 

[swissdude]

I absolutely agree here!

2013 was kind of an unreal WHC, Switzerland rushed through the tournament without a single loss only to get slapped by Sweden in the gold medal game. 2018 was a great year and a really good roster for a Swiss NT, that showed in the finals as well. If only Fiala didn't miss the net in OT.


I doubt Switzerland is gonna make the finals anytime soon, but if they do, I hope it's not Sweden again

I think that depends on how deep teams with swiss player go in the NHL Playoffs but in case they made the finals yes, please no Germany or Sweden they always find a way to beat us. In terms of rivalries Germany is for sure the most intense but I prefer wins against Canada, I like the whining it's not best on best when they have a roster with a cap hit that equals the budget of the whole swiss league

 

[BlizzardSloth]

I think that depends on how deep teams with swiss player go in the NHL Playoffs but in case they made the finals yes, please no Germany or Sweden they always find a way to beat us. In terms of rivalries Germany is for sure the most intense but I prefer wins against Canada, I like the whining it's not best on best when they have a roster with a cap hit that equals the budget of the whole swiss league

Oh, on a personal level I absolutely agree with you, wins against Canada feel great. But I wouldn't consider it a rivalry.

 

[swissdude]

Oh, on a personal level I absolutely agree with you, wins against Canada feel great. But I wouldn't consider it a rivalry.

no it's not we're far too less important and it would be an affront to call that rivalry lol

 

[Albatros]

Not many teams even in Europe have a real rivalry, but most do have at least one weaker competitor that they absolutely hate losing against. For example the Swiss also have a tendency to lose to France which must sting even if there's no actual rivalry unlike perhaps with Germany and Austria.

 

[swissdude]

Not many teams even in Europe have a real rivalry, but most do have at least one weaker competitor that they absolutely hate losing against. For example the Swiss also have a tendency to lose to France which must sting even if there's no actual rivalry unlike perhaps with Germany and Austria.

Well depending on the region I think we could take France as a rivalry too especially in the francophone part of Switzerland I think France is a rivalry indeed

 

[Albatros]

I guess one can also question the popularity of hockey in the francophone part of Switzerland a little bit though, especially as far as playing the sport goes.

 

[swissdude]

I guess one can also question the popularity of hockey in the francophone part of Switzerland a little bit though, especially as far as playing the sport goes.

out of the 13 clubs in NL 5 are located in the french part of Switzerland (Fribourg, Bienne, Lausanne, Genève, Ajoie) there's no doubt that hockey is popular there, and they also have a decent attendance

 

[Albatros]

The same proportion is not true for top hockey players though, even Ticino has better production despite much smaller population.

 

[GotTheMovesLikeJagr]

Interestingly, Norway during the 1980s and 1990s had what could be described as an unoffical rivalry with Austria. Lots of games in the Pool B and the Olympics, and the Norwegians were quite bitter about Austria's naturalized North Americans. While countries like Austria, Italy and the Netherlands naturalized a lot of players and even in the latter two's cases got promoted to Pool A during the 1980s, Norway played with only some few exceptions with Norwegians (goalie Robert Schistad was Canadian, but his father emigrated to Canada from Norway, so... besides him there were maybe a Swede once in a while who played long enough to become Norwegian?).

 

[Albatros]

Import goalies were definitely a thing, except Schistad there were also Mott and Virtanen. Steve Allman was a person of color but I think born in Norway.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Interestingly, Norway during the 1980s and 1990s had what could be described as an unoffical rivalry with Austria. Lots of games in the Pool B and the Olympics, and the Norwegians were quite bitter about Austria's naturalized North Americans. While countries like Austria, Italy and the Netherlands naturalized a lot of players and even in the latter two's cases got promoted to Pool A during the 1980s, Norway played with only some few exceptions with Norwegians (goalie Robert Schistad was Canadian, but his father emigrated to Canada from Norway, so... besides him there were maybe a Swede once in a while who played long enough to become Norwegian?).

Erik Ryman, Jonas Norgren, Mattias Holmstedt, Mattias Livf where swedes playing for Norway. Thought this was early 00s. There was also the finns kaunismaki and eerikki koivu. Nowdays its only Tobias Lindström. Actually im suprised there is not more swedes in the Norway NT. There is many swedes in the Norway Leauge.

 

[Lartsaman]

Erik Ryman, Jonas Norgren, Mattias Holmstedt, Mattias Livf where swedes playing for Norway. Thought this was early 00s. There was also the finns kaunismaki and eerikki koivu. Nowdays its only Tobias Lindström. Actually im suprised there is not more swedes in the Norway NT. There is many swedes in the Norway Leauge.

Kristian Jakobsson is also a swede playing for the norwegian national team.

 

[Voight]

Canada its always been Russia.

But during the late 90s/early 2000s when the US was icing some decent teams, they become a bigger rival than previous years. Especially after losing to them in 96 and then beating them in 2002 on their own turf.

 

[member 305909]

I guess that most sport fans in Sweden value the 1994 soccer world cup third place higher than all the Swedish hockey medals combined.

 

[Urbanskog]

I guess that most sport fans in Sweden value the 1994 soccer world cup third place higher than all the Swedish hockey medals combined.

How does this relate to the topic of this thread at all?

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

I guess that most sport fans in Sweden value the 1994 soccer world cup third place higher than all the Swedish hockey medals combined.

Wrong thread?

I don’t know, most Swedish sports fans sure, because more Swedish sports fans are football fans or both, and it was a way more preciously rare achievement in the grand scheme of things.

I don’t know about me, though. If we’re getting historical about it, with my hockey bias, I think the 1958 World Cup of football silver should probably be held just as high as that bronze. And it’s hard to throw out a bunch of the hockey medals as less-than for a hockey loving nation like Sweden. Sven Tumba and the boys made Tre Kronor our most beloved national team, won multiple gold medals and helped grow the game immensely. When the Soviet WHC dominance over Sweden was finally overcome in 1987 (?) must also be considered a huge moment.

 

[Eye of Ra]

I guess that most sport fans in Sweden value the 1994 soccer world cup third place higher than all the Swedish hockey medals combined.

well, it is. soccer is much bigger sport than hockey. its harder getting sucess in soccer than in hockey.

 

[Raimo Sillanpää]

One of the craziest rivalries ever was the old Soviet Union teams against Czechoslovakia. The Soviets were almost always more talented, but the Czechs were about as intense as it came, and would do ANYTHING to win. Block a shot with their face, spear a guy in the nethers...whatever it took. I think sometimes the Soviets would be taken aback, and kind of flustered, because they were often looking ahead to playing against the Canadians.
Amazing hockey.

very much so, many years when I was a young boy I met an older Czech man who claimed to have been in the team who beat the soviets in the word championship final after Prague Spring
He said it was pure emotion. Afterwards they were afraid of what the Soviet’s would do to them, and were scared of going back home..