I'm English but I've spent thousands travelling Europe watching - San Marino

An Englishman says he has spent thousands of pounds travelling Europe to watch tiny minnows San Marino play football

As a youngster growing up in the 90s, he supported the likes of John Barnes and Robbie Fowler as they starred for Liverpool and England.

Yet despite England having a proud football history with the likes of Sir Bobby Charlton, Sir Geoff Hurst and Jimmy Greaves turning out for the Three Lions, his international allegiance now lies with a team ranked 209th in the world by FIFA.

That team is San Marino, who have only won one competitive match in their history and have lost over 150 times since joining FIFA 30 years ago.

Why does he love San Marino so much?

It was in Serravalle where the Three Lions secured qualification for the 1992 European Championships with a 7-1 win, a match famously remembered for David Platt's hat-trick, which included a stunning volley.

And it was there where Shorthouse, then aged just 14, first developed his soft spot for the minnows as he watched them play Estonia in a friendly.

"It was the first time England had played San Marino and I liked the fact that San Marino play in all blue, like Chelsea," he explained.

Does he go to every San Marino game?

Shorthouse has seen the team play 15 times in total, travelling across Europe to watch his adopted nation play in countries including Albania, Moldova and Kazakhstan.

He added: "I also went to watch them play England in 2013 and I've been to watch them in Serravalle four or five times now."

What's the best San Marino game he's been to?

"The best game was probably against Kazakhstan in 2019," he said.

"They were 2-0 down at half-time but came back in the second half to win 3-2, which was great to see. The atmosphere was brilliant that night."

What's it like following a team that loses so much?

"It can be frustrating at times, but I enjoy it," he said.

"I know they're not going to win many games, but I still get excited when they score a goal or get a good result.

"It's also nice to be able to go to different countries and experience different cultures."

What does he think of the future of San Marino football?

"I think they've got a bright future," he said.

"They've got some talented young players coming through and they're starting to get more competitive.

"I think they'll eventually be able to qualify for a major tournament one day."