The line graph compares the average number of spectators at professional football games in three European countries from 1980 to 2004.
Overall, the number of English and German people watching a football match at a stadium followed upward trends, while the reverse was true for Italians. Notably, Italy consistently showed higher figures before being surpassed by England and Germany by the end of the period.
Despite experiencing a decline, the number of people attending football matches in Italy was significantly higher for the better part of the study period. Starting at 35,000 people in 1980, the number of football fans who attended matches rose to nearly 37,000 people in 1986. Over the ensuing years, this figure saw a noticeable fall of 12,000 people, closing the period with 25,000 spectators in 2004.
England and Germany, in contrast, bucked the foregoing trend. The figures for English and German football fans stood at around 25,000 in 1980, after which they dipped to about 23,000 and 18,000 in 1986, respectively. From 1986 onward, both countries experienced a steady increase in football match attendance, with figures climbing to just under 35,000 by the end of the period – roughly 9,000 higher than the number recorded in Italy