An undercover reporter from the Express, Zak Garner-Purkis, conducted a bold experiment in Dallas, Texas, to test the reputation of England football fans. He wore the jerseys of England's fiercest rivals—Scotland, Argentina, and Germany—in a pub crowded with Three Lions supporters. The results were eye-opening, with some reactions being more aggressive than expected, while others were surprisingly friendly.
The Setup: A Risky Mission
The Londoner Pub in Dallas was overflowing with England fans, so much so that some were buying beers from a nearby 7-Eleven and drinking on the balconies adorned with St George's flags. Garner-Purkis's mission was to push through the crowd three times, each time wearing a different rival shirt. He anticipated rising tension as he progressed from Scotland to Argentina and finally to Germany.
Earlier in the week, he had walked through Scottish fans wearing an England shirt and carrying a cardboard cutout of Harry Kane. Despite some spilled beer and attempts to break the cutout, he escaped unscathed. However, comments on videos of that stunt suggested that England fans would react more harshly. This prompted the ultimate test.
Level One: Scotland
Garner-Purkis first donned the navy Scotland jersey. The initial reaction was muted, with only a few bemused looks. But as he moved deeper into the crowd, the response intensified. Fans chanted “Scotland get battered everywhere they go” and directed insults at him. Some tried to steal his hat or gave him gentle clips on the head. One fan even smashed an improvised drum in his face. Despite the rowdiness, many also offered hugs or fist bumps. The chanting turned crude, with references to a Scottish player as a “sex offender.” Overall, the reaction was more aggressive than what he experienced with Scottish fans, but it remained largely good-natured.
Level Two: Argentina
Wearing the blue-and-white Argentina shirt and carrying a replica World Cup trophy, Garner-Purkis entered the crowd again. The reaction was surprisingly muted. Fans were more interested in the trophy than the jersey. An overweight American tried to grab it, shouting “That is ours! USA! USA!” The crowd responded by chanting “you fat b*****d.” Other than that, the shirt drew little attention. Fans were more focused on chanting about Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Garner-Purkis even spotted another England fan wearing an Argentina shirt, but that fan seemed to be wearing it for different reasons.
Level Three: Germany
The final and most challenging level was the Germany shirt. Garner-Purkis brought his cardboard cutout of Harry Kane, noting that Kane now plays for Bayern Munich. The shirt was spotted immediately. A group of fans from Leeds laughed and called him “the ultimate troll.” But soon, the chants of “Two World Wars and one World Cup” and “10 German bombers” began. He was surrounded by fans, and one man with a shaved head repeatedly shouted “You attention-seeking w****r.” He was jostled and clipped on the head again, but escaped unscathed. The reaction was feistier than with the Scotland shirt, but many fans still showed love and engaged in banter.
Conclusion: Surprising Findings
The experiment revealed that England's bitterest rivals, in terms of fan reaction, are Scotland and Germany, not Argentina. The Germany shirt provoked the strongest response, followed by Scotland. The Argentina shirt, despite historical tensions, barely registered. Garner-Purkis concluded that while England fans can be feisty, the reactions were largely good-natured, with plenty of banter and even affection. The test showed that the reputation of England fans as aggressive may be overstated, but there is still a clear hierarchy of rivalries.
