The graph compares three countries, namely Italy, England, and Germany in terms of the average number of top-level football match attendances between 1980 and 2004.
Overall, it is evident that Italy experienced a decrease in attendance numbers by the end of the period, while England and Germany, being relatively similar in numbers, faced an increase by 2004.
In 1980, Italy had the highest number of people attending matches, with around 35 thousand. At the same time, England and Germany had much lower rates, at approximately 25 thousand. In 1986, Italy’s number grew slightly, reaching just below 40 thousand attendees. This was not the case for England and Germany, whose numbers dropped by about 5 thousand.
From 1986 onwards, however, the tables turned. The number of spectators in Italy started falling steadily before finally reaching a low of 25 thousand in 2004. Meanwhile, England and Germany’s rate of spectators experienced considerable growth, peaking at nearly 35 thousand by 2004.