RTÉ pundit and former professional footballer Alan Cawley has expressed his support for the England national team, urging Irish football fans to back them to win the World Cup.
Cawley, a former League of Ireland midfielder, described the phenomenon of Irish viewers tuning into England's games as a 'mixture of things.' He cited the close connection through the popularity of the Premier League in Ireland, where many players represent England, and the significant media attention England garners.
"It's that close connection we’ve always had with them, in terms of the amount of people that follow the Premier League here, and then you see a lot of those players representing England," Cawley said. "And the England national team is such a big story here and across the pond, particularly in the way the media followed them over there."
He acknowledged the existence of some fans who watch England with the hope of seeing them lose, describing them as 'sadistic.' "Then you do have maybe some of the sadistic ones, that follow them just to see them lose or see them get so close and then fall flat on their face," Cawley noted.
Cawley, who spent four years playing professionally in England, stated that historical ties between Ireland and England also play a role. "Obviously our history with the country also would play a part in that," he added.
Despite this, Cawley affirmed his personal support for the English team. "But I for one would definitely follow the English story. I have no problem if they win and [no problem] seeing them doing well, and giving them praise. I spent four years in England, and the people were always very good to me."
The pundit commented on the challenging kick-off times for the current World Cup, mentioning that he did not get home until 6 a.m. after covering a Netherlands vs. Morocco match. "I was walking on Portmarnock Beach at half six in the morning, still wide awake, because we came off air at quarter past five, so that was a tough one," he recalled.
However, Cawley emphasized that the disruption to his sleep is insignificant given the importance of the tournament. "I live for this. I worked so hard to get to this point, and I absolutely love the punditry, and love working on it, and it’s an honour, really."
England's matches have historically been the most popular with RTÉ viewers, according to the national broadcaster. All games in the FIFA World Cup 2026 are being broadcast live on RTÉ 2 and the RTÉ Player.