Table of Contents
- Who is the 12th man in soccer?
- The history of the 12th man in soccer
- The importance of the 12th man
- Is the 12th man literal in soccer?
- Recap: The 12th man
Football without fans is nothing – Jock Stein
Covid-19 taught us lots of things and in the world of soccer, it showed us just how important fans are to the success of soccer teams around the world.
As games played out behind closed doors, fans were stuck at home watching on TV, resulting in some of the most uninspiring soccer games ever seen.
With that in mind, this article introduces you to the concept of the 12th man in soccer, and explains why fans are so important to the success of the beautiful game in different parts of the world.
Who is the 12th man in soccer?
The 12th man in soccer is a team’s supporter base. As there are 11 players on the field, the implication is that if a team is well supported, the collective fans can drive the team onto victory, thus serving as the metaphorical “12th man.”
Extremely well supported teams with vociferous home supporters often refer to their supporters as the 12th man – EPL teams like Newcastle United and Leeds United are great examples of this.
Read on to find out more about the 12th man in soccer, including where the term comes from and why it’s an important part of the game today.
The history of the 12th man in soccer
Interestingly, the earliest mention of the 12th man in soccer can be traced back to the United States. In 1900, a Minnesota magazine referred to a “rooter” (modern-day supporter) as the University’s 12th man, due to his passionate support.
This trend continues throughout the early years of the 20th century, with an Iowa Rooter receiving the same acclaim in a University of Illinois publication.
In the early years, the 12th man was used to refer to supporters of both football and soccer teams in the United States, and it wasn’t necessarily a term reserved for one sport over another.
Interested in the history of soccer in the United States? Check out our recent article where we take you on a whistle-stop tour of the earliest soccer matches on the continent.
Today, it’s extremely common to hear soccer fans referred to as their team’s 12th man, as we explore below.
The importance of the 12th man
Soccer fans are vociferous supporters of their team and create atmospheres in their stadia that are simply incomparable to other sports. Rhythmic chanting and organized tifo displays by ultras create unbelievable atmospheres in some of the world’s most iconic stadia week in, week out.
Why is this important?
Well, soccer teams that are extremely well supported at home prove to be an extremely tough nut to crack for their opponents. The fans make the stadium an intimidating place to play and drive the players on the field to find something extra.
It’s not uncommon for the supporters to play a huge role in the outcome of tight fixtures, as opposing players become intimidated by the noise and general atmosphere created within the stadium.
We saw this as unfancied Glasgow Rangers made it to the final of the Europa League last season, defeating teams like Dortmund, Braga, and Leipzig along the way. Teams visited Ibrox (Rangers’ home stadium) and simply couldn’t deal with the atmosphere created by the 12th man. It was undoubtedly a huge reason why the Glasgow team made it to the final.
Our writers have been to some pretty tasty games over the years. Check out this video below of Hampden Park where Scotland fans served as the 12th man to drive the national team to a historic 2-0 victory over Spain in a recent fixture:
Is the 12th man literal in soccer?
Although metaphorical for most clubs, some teams actually allocate the number 12 jersey to their supporters! Portsmouth FC – one of England’s oldest and most traditional teams – has retired the number 12 jersey and dedicated it to their loyal fans.
Russian teams CSKA and Zenit have done the same, while Scandi teams OB and Malmo have done the same.
There’s no doubt that the relationship between players and fans is extremely important and when a club makes an effort to truly connect with its fans, it can pay dividends on the pitch.
Recap: The 12th man
The 12th man in soccer is a term reserved for a team’s supporters and is a way of clubs showing their fans how important they are to the team’s success.
Without fans, soccer teams couldn’t survive and there’s no doubt that their on-field performances would suffer.
Soccer fans turn up to support their teams through thick and thin and have shown loyalty beyond words. In our opinion, fans are the true heroes of soccer!