Cultural values: Sweden v England

With the upcoming match for third place at the Women's Football World Cup between Sweden and England, I thought I would look at some of the ‘core values’ of those respective countries and wonder how that may play out on the football field. According to the (Australian-based) Cultural Atlas:

Contemporary Sweden prides itself on championing human rights and equality, as manifested in its social welfare system. Additionally, concepts such as ‘lagom’ (‘the middle way’) and modesty are cornerstones of Swedish culture. ....

According to Hofstede Insights (2017), Sweden is a ‘feminine society’ in which balance, inclusivity and consideration for others are core components of the social structure. The notion of ‘folkhemmet’ (‘the people's home') is a metaphor for the nation of Sweden as a family household. This idea symbolises social democratic ideals of equality and mutual care, which form the foundation for a society mediated and supported by social welfare. 

So, will we see teamwork, sharing the ball and consideration for others on the football pitch tomorrow morning?

On British culture (no separate entry for England), the Cultural Atlas says of the British (including England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland):

They strongly value fair play, believing everyone should have equal opportunity to better their circumstances regardless of their background. Fair play also translates into a respect for order. …. People pride themselves on a capacity to ‘grin and bear it’ whilst being diligent and respectable. The British have earned a reputation for remaining stoic through tough times, rarely letting their emotions show, though they might complain in private. 

The cultural atlas also says, “The British are generally quite reserved.” – perhaps not on the playing field, whether its men or women playing.

I leave you with a distinctly unfeminine rallying call for English footballers, intended for the English men’s team - a legacy of the late Rik Mayall, and football fan: