Ready for Sip Off

Wow! Has it been four years already? Yup, the time has come for the football-playing nations of the world to descend on South Africa to battle it out for the trophy. And in pubs all over Europe, fans of the footie will be united in the traditional activity of staring slack-jawed at the TV. We show you where to do it! Words by Mike Peake

ENGLAND

WHERE TO BE: London has the most football teams in the Premier League, but we’ll snub the capital and say Liverpool – home to two fine clubs and where England supremo Steven Gerrard plays. To be honest, though, you’ll be fine in pretty much any pub in England for the whole tournament unless it’s domino night.

LET IT ALL HANG OUT: Any pub or bar with a TV will do the trick, but if you’re stuck try The Abbey (www.theabbeyliverpool.com) – it’s a shiny new sports bar on Hanover Street, in the heart of the city centre.

GOOD TO KNOW: At the home of Liverpool FC, Anfield, you can pay a man to give you a tour of the stadium. Visit www.liverpoolfc.tv

CHANCES OF A GOOD TIME: Colossal – Britain loves football. As Alan Alger, the PR man at sports betting website Blue Square (www.bluesq.com), points out: “Think back to 1966, when England won, and the fact that England has been harking back to that day ever since.” His odds of an England victory are 11–2.

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FRANCE

WHERE TO BE: You’re spoilt for choice en France, with huge football strongholds in cities like Paris and Marseille. But we’ll plump for Lyon – home of Olympique Lyonnais – a historic spot that sits astride the Rhône and Saône rivers, and whose bars are as lively as they come.

LET IT ALL HANG OUT: Wallace Bar (2 Rue Octavio Mey, www.wallacebarlyon.com), a corner venue big on whisky. It’s a strange but enjoyable mix of Scottish and French, and their big screens will be showing all the action.

GOOD TO KNOW: Lyon’s impressive Radisson Blu (www.radissonblu.com) is the tallest hotel in Europe. More chic still is the Renaissance, four-star Cour des Loges (www.courdesloges.com) with luxurious rooms, a fabulous spa and a well-stocked wine cellar.

CHANCES OF A GOOD TIME: High. The French won the World Cup in 1998. “Who can forget the Champs-Élysées packed with fans?” says Alger, who predicts a smidgen of Gallic glory. But not too much, as when we spoke he gave them odds of 18–1.

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GERMANY

WHERE TO BE: Try Bremen, where Per Mertesacker, the German John Terry, is a local hero thanks to his mercury-booted defending skills for club Werder Bremen.

LET IT ALL HANG OUT: Major sports tournaments are where Irish bars come into their own. And the World Cup is as good an excuse as any to rock into one, order a Guinness and make like a (confused) native. Try Hegarty’s Irish Pub (80 Ostertorsteinweg).

GOOD TO KNOW: The heart of Bremen, the old town, is easy to walk around and packed with charm. The coolest place to stay is Park Hotel Bremen (www.park-hotel-bremen.de), a member of the Leading Hotels of the World group, which looks like a proper stately home.

CHANCES OF A GOOD TIME: Big. They may be ranked at 14–1 to win, but “the Germans love football and they know how to celebrate,” says Alger. Plus, he says, they can handle their beer better than most.

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THE NETHERLANDS

WHERE TO BE: Eindhoven, home of former European Cup winners PSV Eindhoven, who have a cluster of players in the national squad.

LET IT ALL HANG OUT: O’Shea’s Irish Pub (9 Jan van Lieshoutstraat). It’s open till at least 2am every day and is very football-friendly.

GOOD TO KNOW: Eindhoven is also home to electrical giant Philips, and is the largest city in the south of the country. That aside, it’s got lots of cool buildings and a vibrant and extensive bar scene.

CHANCES OF A GOOD TIME: Colossal. “The Dutch fans light up every tournament they’re in,” says Alger, who puts the national team’s chances of winning the contest, like the Germans, at 14–1. “They have one of the most balanced squads they’ve ever had, so they might surprise everyone. Kit yourself out in orange and join in the fun.”

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ITALY

WHERE TO BE: AC Milan and Inter Milan dictate that the northern city is the spiritual home of Italian football. But Turin may prove a better place because, at the time of writing, up to five players from local team Juventus were set to make the World Cup squad.

LET IT ALL HANG OUT: The 1870 Huntsman bar (Corso Vittorio Emanuele II), near Turin’s Porta Nuova train station. It’s a sort of English-American affair. But big on sports, and the football will be on.

GOOD TO KNOW: One of the swankiest places to stay is the five-star Principi di Piemonte on Via Piero Gobetti (www.atahotels.it). It’s not cheap, but rates come down nicely if it’s quiet.

CHANCES OF A GOOD TIME: Fair. The titleholders undoubtedly like their football, but they’re far from favourites this time around at 14–1 too. “The fans really get into it, but they tend not to be quite such big drinkers when watching the match,” says Alger.

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PORTUGAL

WHERE TO BE: Porto, home of FC Porto, easily one of the most popular clubs in the country. But the whole of Portugal will be cheering on the national team’s star player, a certain Cristiano Ronaldo.

LET IT ALL HANG OUT: The area of Ribeira is the place to go – a buzzing hive of bars, cafés and clubs that spill out onto the pavements. The UK’s Guardian newspaper pointed out that clubbers hitting the city before midnight will be in for a disappointment as nothing starts hotting up until “2am at least”.

GOOD TO KNOW: Some bars in Porto operate a card system. You pick one up upon entering, then get it stamped every time you order a drink and pay when you leave.

CHANCES OF A GOOD TIME: Fair. Expect to be drowned in cheers every time there’s a goal. But at 22–1, you may be more likely to see locals drowning their sorrows.

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SPAIN

WHERE TO BE: Barcelona. Some locals may feign disinterest because they are Catalonian at heart, but god-like Argentinian Lionel Messi, arguably the best player in the World Cup, plays for Barcelona, so they’ll all be watching anyway.

LET IT ALL HANG OUT: Flaherty’s Irish bar (www.pflaherty.com) serves up beer and live sports on big screens in a little square just off La Rambla, and serves food until midnight.

GOOD TO KNOW: Between matches, the bar to try is El Xampanyet (22 Montcada), down a narrow cobbled alley near the Picasso Museum. The tapas comes recommended, too.

CHANCES OF A GOOD TIME: Virtually guaranteed. “Spain are the favourites, at 7–2 after winning so easily in Euro 2008,” says Alger. “They’ve got the players, the fans are totally football mad and all over the country they really get behind the national team.”

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GREECE

WHERE TO BE: Anywhere, really, as the Greeks know they haven’t a chance but will party like it’s 2004 – the year they stunned the world by winning the European Championship. Let’s settle for the island of Rhodes.

LET IT ALL HANG OUT: Faliraki is the renowned party resort on Rhodes, and its football-mad Thomas Pub (www.thomas-pub.co.uk) boasts 11 big screens.

GOOD TO KNOW: Housed in a centuries-old building, the Spirit of the Knights Boutique Hotel (www.rhodesluxuryhotel.com) is an oasis of calm in the old city, and has six themed suites, including one called The Pasha’s Suite that has a private hammam.

CHANCES OF A GOOD TIME: Good, but not because of any home-grown victories. “I put Greece at 100–1,” says our man, gloomily.