British men choose soccer over women 英國男人愛足球更勝愛女人

A study has shown that British men show far more loyalty and commitment to their favorite soccer team than to their partner.

Ninety-four percent of men surveyed said they would never stop loving their team no matter how badly it played, while 52 percent said they would gladly end a relationship that was not going well, the survey of 2,000 British men found.

Psychologist Aric Sigman said that "if men showed the same fidelity, commitment, self-sacrifice and honesty toward their partners, the divorce rate would (drop by 50 percent) overnight."

"In an age where ... jobs and relationships come and go, loyalty is now reserved for something men feel they can actually believe in: (soccer)."

"Perhaps this undying loyalty for a (soccer) team shows how qualities such as integrity and devotion are at a premium nowadays."

One-quarter of the men admitted they would miss a family funeral to watch a game.

The research also discovered that most of the Englishmen surveyed (59 percent) said soccer gave them a sense of national pride, while a majority of Scotsmen (55 percent) said it gave them a sense of national embarrassment.

The study also found that soccer provided a way for men to show their emotions. Nearly 39 percent admitted they had cried tears of joy or sadness over soccer, while 32 percent said it had been very important in teaching them how to bond with other men. (afp)

一項研究顯示，英國男性對最鍾愛的足球隊遠比對自己的伴侶更死忠、支持。

這項針對兩千名英國男性所作的調查發現，94%的受訪者表示，無論球隊的表現多糟，他們對它的熱愛永不休止，但卻有52%的人表示，他們會欣然結束一段進展不順的關係。

心理學家艾瑞克．席格曼表示，「如果男性能以同樣忠貞、支持、自我犧牲及誠實的態度面對伴侶，離婚率將在一夕間降低50%。」

「在這個工作及人際關係來來去去的時代裡，男性把忠誠留給他們覺得可以真正相信的東西：足球。」

「這種對球隊始終不渝的忠誠態度，或許正好反應正直與熱愛這類特性在現今社會有多難能可貴。」

四分之一的男性坦承，他們曾為了觀看球賽而錯過家族喪禮。

這項研究也發現，多數受訪的英格蘭男性（59%）表示，足球帶給他們國家榮譽感，但大部份的蘇格蘭男性（55%）卻表示，足球帶給他們的是國家羞恥感。

這項研究也發現，足球提供男性一個發洩情緒的管道。有將近39%的人坦承，他們會為了足球欣喜而泣或悲傷落淚，但也有32%的人說，足球在教導他們如何與他人交際往來方面，扮演了舉足輕重的角色。

（法新社／翻譯：林倩如）