So You’ve Watched Ted Lasso
How to Choose an English Premier League Soccer Team
Apple+’s #1 show in over 50 countries, Ted Lasso is a record-breaking, global force. Its 20 Emmy nominations turned a humble cast of characters into certified stars, uniting fans around the soccer-based “dramedy.”
As we wait for season three to see if lowly AFC Richmond can pull themselves back to the Premier League, the show has left many American fans wondering, what’s the deal with this soccer thing anyway?
Inspired by the passion of Richmond fans and the fascinating community pride around English football clubs, I’ve had a handful of friends ask me, “How do I choose an English Premier League football team to follow?”
I’m here to help.
I’m here to be your guide to understand the teams, history, culture, and fandom that make the Premier League the most beloved sports experience on the planet.
So you don’t live in England. No problem. The Premier League is a global behemoth. From New Delhi to New Zealand, everyone is welcome.
But let me be clear when I say that this is a very important decision.
Football fandom is an expression of personal experience, culture, tradition, and identity. This is a choice you will make one time - as the club you choose is the club you support for life.
Choose wisely.
The Teams
Traditional “Top 6” Clubs & Location
Manchester United - Manchester
Manchester City - Manchester
Chelsea - West London
Liverpool - Liverpool
Arsenal - North London
Tottenham - North London
Traditional Mid-Tier Clubs & Location
Everton - Liverpool
Leicester City - East Midlands
Crystal Palace - South London
Wolverhampton - West Midlands
West Ham United - East London
Newcastle United - Northeast
Geography and Rivalry
Even as an outsider, living thousands of miles away, it’s important to understand the ways geographic location and rivalries are important factors in your decision.
The enduring intrigue of both English and global football as a whole lies in the geographic proximity and cultural tribalism between teams and supporters. The pride for one’s city and the rivalries that ensue, for better or for worse, are the foundation of what makes football fans so passionate about their clubs.
In London, as seen in Figure B below, fifteen teams with their own stadiums, fans, and traditions take up territory in various parts of the city. This geographic rivalry plays a massive role in English football culture.
Similarly dramatic, the stadiums of Everton and Liverpool are separated by a little over 1,000 yards. (Figure A)
How is the Premier League structured? How do you win?
In the Premier League, there is a single, flat, 20-team table. No divisions, no “5 ½ games back,” no complicated math, no voting systems, and no playoffs. Just three points for a win, one point for a draw, and zero points for a loss.
The team at the top of the table at the end of the season wins.
Additionally, unlike American professional sports, which are, quite ironically, “socialist” in nature (ie: losing teams get 1st round draft picks, team operating costs can be subsidized by the league, etc). The Premier League and other European football leagues are fiercely capitalistic.
There are five professional leagues in England and teams move in between them through a highly competitive system called Promotion and Relegation.
A Promotion and Relegation system means the three worst-performing teams at the end of the season are dropped to the lower division, where they immediately lose millions of dollars in global marketing power and lucrative TV revenue.
Relegation can be devastating for a club both financially and emotionally.
The opposite happens for clubs that are promoted. At the end of each season, the top three teams in the lower divisions jump up to the league above them to be showered with an immediate cash infusion to purchase new players or upgrade facilities. This can be thrilling and climactic.
Promotion and Relegation often mean that the end of the season can be just as dramatic for teams at the top of the table as teams at the bottom. “Staying up” is a prize in itself for small teams and all eyes turn to the lower leagues to see which teams will be coming up in the following season.
There are also no salary caps in global football, meaning that most often (but not always), the wealthiest clubs succeed, while the poorer clubs fight to avoid relegation.
Choose Your Team
Now it’s time to decide which team you connect with best. As you read the descriptions, who stands out to you? Is it their story, history, logo, geographic location, or success?
This is a deeply personal decision that only you can decide. Let the teams speak to you.
Manchester United FC
Founded in 1878, “Man U” are the traditional kings of English football - who have fallen on hard times lately. The wealthiest team in world football, United went for decades as the best team on the planet. They’ve won more trophies than any other team in English football, including winning the league championship a staggering 20 times. They are the world's most recognized sports team and the only sporting entity publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
But profit-focused strategies and massive debts have meant their success is slipping, even while global profits soar. They haven’t won the title since 2013, and are often booted early from European competition, but always have the potential to sign the world’s best players and reinstate their dominance.
Nickname: Red Devils
Rivals: Liverpool, Manchester City
Notable players: Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandez, Jadon Sancho
Notable supporters: Usain Bolt, Rory McIlroy, Justin Timberlake, Thom Yorke
Majority ownership group: American
Manchester City FC
Manchester City FC were started as a boys program from St. Marks Church in East Manchester in 1880. Known for decades as the often-bullied younger brother to their cross-town rivals, they’ve experienced significant success after the 2008 takeover by the Abu-Dhabi Group and their billionaire owner, Sheik Mansour.
Often accused of “buying the league,” smart investments in facilities, operations, and players have catapulted Manchester City into a global football force. They are the most successful English club of the last decade and currently the fifth wealthiest club in the world. Known for the high press and possession football of their Spanish manager Pep Guardiola, they score loads of goals and are one of the most feared teams in the league. While quite successful domestically, the European championship trophy still eludes them.
Nickname: The Citizens, Sky Blues
Rivals: Manchester United
Notable players: Kevin DeBruyne, Phil Foden, Ruben Diaz, Riyad Mahrez
Notable supporters - Liam & Noel Gallagher, Aaron Rodgers, Pharell Williams, David Hasselhoff
Majority ownership group: Emirati/UAE
Liverpool FC
Liverpool are one of England's most storied clubs. Dominant in the ’70s and '80s when they conquered Europe, they then went through a historic and often ridiculed 30-year championship drought. But after substantial investments by Boston Red Sox owners, The Fenway Sports Group, they are back on top of the Premier League.
Coached by the enthusiastic Jurgen Klopp and his German brand of “Heavy Metal Football,” Liverpool are a ruthless, attack-minded squad. Famous for raucous fans and the singing of their infamous ballad, “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” Liverpool remains one of the best-supported clubs globally.
Nicknames: The Reds
Rivals: Everton, Manchester United
Notable Players: Sadio Mane, Virgil Van Dyke, Mohammad Salah
Majority Ownership Group: American
Notable Supporters - LeBron James (part-owner), Daniel Craig, Dr. Dre, Steve Kerr, Samuel L Jackson, Mike Myers
Chelsea FC
Surrounded by pints in1905, Chelsea F.C. was founded at The Rising Sun pub (now The Butcher's Hook) in West London. Chelsea are now one of the most successful clubs in English history, winning over 30 trophies, including the European championships. Their most recent success is often attributed to the 2003 purchase of the club by Russian billionaire and oligarch, Roman Abromovich. However, due to recent Russian aggression in Ukraine, the British government has sanctioned Abromovich and forced him to sell the club. Global billionaires are circling…
Always competitive and battling for a top 4 spot, Chelsea play fierce & attractive football, and currently feature the best American player, Christian Pulisic.
Nickname: The Blues
Rivals: Tottenham, Arsenal, West Ham
Notable players: Ngolo Kante, Jorginho, Kai Havertz, Mason Mount
Notable supporters - Kate Middleton, Ed Sheeran, Will Ferrell, JJ Watt
Majority ownership group: Russian*
Arsenal FC
Founded in 1886, Arsenal were formed by workers from the Royal Arsenal armament factory in southeast London. It is for this reason they have a cannon on their club crest and are known as, “The Gunners.” Arsenal supporters still reminisce of 2003’s Arsenal as the “Invincibles” when they went the entire Premier League season without a single loss - a record that still exists today.
Unfortunately, they’ve yet to rediscover their magic in recent years. Seasons of underwhelming results have seen them through a multitude of managers and depressed supporters exclaiming, “4th place is a trophy!”
Nickname: The Gunners
Rivals: Tottenham
Notable Players: Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Alexandre Lacazette, Emile Smith Row
Notable Supporters - Jay-Z, Prince Harry, Idris Elba, Mick Jagger
Majority ownership group: American
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur are a historically working-class club from North London. Founded in 1882, they were originally part of the Hotspur Cricket Club and have longtime links with London’s Jewish community.
Playing direct and attacking football, Tottenham have always been a popular club in England, but are currently on a 12-year trophy drought. They are also famous for the original NBC spoof commercials with Jason Sudekis that became the vision for the critically acclaimed show, Ted Lasso.
Nicknames: Spurs, Lillywhites
Rivals: Arsenal, Chelsea
Notable Players: Harry Kane, Son Heung-Min, Toby Alderweireld
Notable Supporters - Adele, Tom Holland, Jude Law, Ray Liotta, Steve Nash, Mark Walhberg
Majority Ownership Group: British
Everton FC
Formed in 1878 by the local methodist church, Everton are one of England’s most historic clubs. Known by many nicknames, they pride themselves as the “People’s Club” for their long-standing connection to Liverpool’s working-class community. Their logo features the ‘Everton Lock Up’ - a small tower structure used by police in the 1800s to incarcerate drunks and minor criminals.
While Everton’s history is strong, their recent footballing success is suspect. They haven’t won a major trophy since 1995 and are currently facing a relegation battle. Plucky underdogs, Everton are always competitive and a thorn in the side of their big-spending rivals, Liverpool FC.
Nicknames: The Toffees, The Blues
Rivals: Liverpool
Notable Players: Dominick Calvert-Lewin, Richarldson, Jordan Pickford
Majority Ownership Group: British/Iranian
Notable Supporters - Sir Paul McCartney, Sylvester Stallone, Diplo
Leicester City
For generations, English football has been dominated by the large cities of London, Manchester, and Liverpool. Leicester (pronounced “Lester”) are arguably the best modern club from the midlands (central region of England). Founded in 1884, Leicester City are a historic club and fiery underdogs in the league, capable of beating any team.
Leicester’s claim to fame is centered on their meteoric rise in 2016 when they famously won the Premier League title. In the biggest ever football bet, Leicester’s odds to win the title were 5,000 to 1, with one lucky fan winning £72,000 on a £50 bet.
Nicknames: The Foxes
Rivals: Nottingham Forest, Derby County
Notable Players: Jamie Vardy, James Madison, Casper Schmeichel, Youri Tielemans
Notable Supporters - Mark Morrison, Gary Lineker, Arlo White
Majority Ownership Group: Thai
West Ham United
Founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks, the club was reformed in 1900 as West Ham United but continues to feature the ironwork hammers as the club's branding. Their glory years were the 1960s and 1970s when they won the FA Cup three times. The Hammers are best known to Americans as the club linked to the hooligan organization in the film Green Street Hooligans starring Elijah Woods and Charlie Hunnam. Spoiler alert: They are also the new Evil Empire in Ted Lasso.
In recent years, West Ham have been mediocre - capable of brilliance some weeks, and dismal results thereafter. However, the 2021/2022 season has been a good one and they are firmly in the hunt for a 4th place finish.
Nicknames: The Hammers
Rivals: Tottenham, Chelsea
Notable Players: Declan Rice, Michaill Antonio, Mark Noble,
Notable Supporters - Matt Damon, Dave Grohl, Lennox Lewis, Rod Stewart, Russel Brand
Majority Ownership Group: British
Newcastle United
The most Northern Club in the league, Newcastle United are a historic club from the far Northeast of England. Sporting their signature black and white striped kits, they’ve won the league four times, and feature some of the most passionate fans in the league.
While unlikely to make the top 6 at the moment, Newcastle have significant potential as a Premier League powerhouse as the club has just been purchased by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. The tidal wave of cash is incoming.
Nicknames: The Magpies,
Rivals: Sunderland
Notable Players: Bruno Guimares, Miguel Almiron, Allan Saint Maxim
Notable Supporters - Sting, Tony Blair, Brian Johnson (AC/DC)
Majority Ownership Group: Saudi Arabian
Crystal Palace FC
Based in South London, Crystal Palace are a solid mid-tier club in English Football. They feature a passionate fan base at their intimate Sellhurst Park stadium. While an unlikely contender for top 6 football, Palace are always a threat to larger teams. Giant killers, week in week out.
The Crystal Palace stadium, kit colors, training ground, and the surrounding area are the basis for the fictional club, AFC Richmond from Ted Lasso.
Nicknames: The Eagles
Rivals: Millwall, Brighton & Hove Albion
Notable Players: Connor Gallagher, Wilfried Zaha, Christian Benteke,
Notable Supporters - Liam Neeson, Rebecca Lowe, Eddie Izzard
Majority Ownership Group: British
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Commonly known as ‘Wolves’, Wolverhampton are a west midlands club and one of the founding members of English football in 1888. Wolves have won the FA Cup 4 times, but are yet to win a trophy in the modern era. Well coached and always dangerous, Wolves are a solid mid-tier club with a handful of exciting players.
Nicknames: Wolves
Rivals: Aston Villa, West Brom
Notable Players: Raul Jimenez, Ruben Neves
Notable Supporters - Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin)
Majority Ownership Group: British
What Is Success in the Premier League?
Unlike American sports where the only true goal is to make the playoffs and win the single league championship, global football has numerous markers for success.
Alongside the race for the Premier League title, teams are also playing in various other tournaments throughout the season. The most prestigious is the European Championships otherwise known as the UEFA Champions League (UCL).
The UCL is a continent-wide tournament featuring the top teams from each league from the year prior. Most notably, teams from England, Spain, Germany, Italy, France, Portugal, and Holland.
So while getting 3rd place in the Premier League may seem like a loss from an American mindset, third place means your team qualifies for the UEFA Champions League the next season. For many teams, to compete and or win the UCL tournament is the ultimate goal. In some cases, it’s more important than the domestic league championship.
Furthermore, your English team will also be engaged in two other domestic tournaments during the season: The FA Cup and the League Cup (currently called the Carabao Cup but subject to sponsor name changes).
These domestic tournaments are unique in that they include not just the teams from the Premier League, but the entire British football league pyramid. These matches can be exciting as they can feature a small third-division team playing a Premier League powerhouse.
The upsets can be immense and make the season for a lower league team. Similar to the NCAA's March Madness basketball tournament and the shock upsets that can occur when a 16 seed defeats a top team.
All these various tournaments happening at the same time can mean your club plays a league match on a Saturday, a Champions League game against a team in Spain or Italy on Wednesday evening, and then back to England the next weekend for another domestic match.
The games come fast and furious, managers have to rotate their squads, the weather is terrible, and it’s always a challenge to survive all four competitions, let alone win them.
Will your new team win the Premier League this year? Make the top 4? Fight against relegation? Maybe they’ll take the FA Cup or even the European championships.
Best of luck on the upcoming season,
