Ethnic identity and the choice to play for a national team

A Study of Junior Elite Football Players With a Migrant Background

Dados Bibliográficos

ID3606754
AutoresKlaus Seiberth (0000-0001-5434-5408, University of Tübingen, autor correspondente), Ansgar Thiel (0000-0001-9217-0442, University of Tübingen), Ramón Spaaij (0000-0002-1260-3111, Victoria University)
Ano2019
Volume45
Fascículo5
Páginas787-803
Data de publicação2019-04-04
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoNew Community (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0047-9586 • E-ISSN: 1469-9451
EditoraInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/1369183x.2017.1408460
OpenAlexW2775579423
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas13
Referências citadas36

In German (junior) elite football, there are a comparatively large number of highly talented players with a migrant background. These players were born in Germany and joined the Talent Development Programme of the German Football Association (DFB). Many of these players can decide for which national association they want to play in international games. In media and public discourse, this decision is usually explained by the degree of self-identification with a specific ethnic group. However, this assumption is not empirically evident. Using the example of junior elite players with a Turkish background, this article focuses therefore on the question, which role ethnic identity plays in this decision. Based on social identity theory, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 adolescent elite football players with Turkish background who played for the German and/or the Turkish Football Association. Our findings suggest that – in contrast to media narratives – ethnic identity only plays a marginal role in the decision to play for a national football association

Elite · Ethnic group · Football · Football team · Geography · German · Narrative · National identity · Political science · Sociology · Turkish · Gender Studies · Law · Psychology · Social and Intergroup Psychology · Social Psychology · Sport and Mega-Event Impacts · Sports, Gender, and Society