National Characteristics
Indeed, several countries are distinguished by the practice of sports whose fame has not, or barely, been exported beyond their borders.
The most emblematic case is probably Ireland, where Gaelic sports reign supreme. Particularly Gaelic football, which is played by teams of 15 players and, to simplify, is at the crossroads of traditional football and rugby. Hurling is also essential in the country. It is also played with 15 players, but this time bats are used to advance the ball and score goals. The female version of hurling is called camogie. As a sign of the strong popularity of these sports, they have at their disposal the largest stadium in the country (Croke Park, 82,000 seats) in Dublin.
The United Kingdom is, for its part, obviously known for cricket, a sport with famously complex rules and which is still, even today, very little played outside the Commonwealth countries; Australia, New Zealand, India, and Sri Lanka, along with England, being the best nations in the world in this discipline.
The Scandinavian countries are also not left behind when it comes to unique sports. The Swedes particularly enjoy bandy, which is a Russian-origin ancestor of ice hockey. Here, the ice rink is replaced by a frozen football field, and the number of players per team goes from 6 to 11. This sport has also gained traction in Estonia.
Another variant of hockey is floorball, or unihockey, played indoors. Here again, the Swedes are among the main enthusiasts, joined by the Finns, Germans, and Slovaks. Field hockey, on the other hand, is a Dutch specialty, as is speed skating.
Finally, among other national peculiarities, it is possible to mention Basque pelota, a popular discipline on both sides of the Pyrenees, or pétanque, whose popularity remains strong in France and which is also widely practiced in Malta (under a variant called Bocci).
