Amsterdam, 10:00 CET, 20 May 2010 – An international survey, carried out by UEFA Champions League sponsor Heineken, has shown wives and girlfriends are second when it comes to the topics most discussed by men when they get together with their mates.   The study found that overall a staggering 88% of those asked said that football was top of the league for the subjects they talk about over a beer with their friends, with wives and girlfriends coming in the runners-up spot with 45% - work came in third with 34%. Men from Germany and France placed work in second and with their wives and girlfriends coming in third.   The research of 5,300 men aged between 25 and 40 spanned across 15 countries also found that men from China (94%) and Russia (93%) placed football as having the greatest importance.   The top ten topics discussed by groups of men were as follows: Football (88%) Wives and Girlfriends (45%) Work (34%) Money (24%) Cars (19%) Night Out (18%) Family (16%) Food (14%) Holidays (12%) Film (10%)

 

Tim Ellerton, Sponsorship Manager Heineken International, said: “It might not be the news women wanted to hear but it appears men really do only think about one thing when they get together with their mates – and that’s football. With the UEFA Champions League Final taking place this Saturday it is a huge weekend for football and gives men an excuse, if they ever needed one, to talk about their favourite subject.”   Tim added: “I don’t have the data but would not be surprised if women spent more time talking about football than their husbands and boyfriends when they get together with their friends as well!”   The survey also showed that England is the most football-mad country in the world, with men spending more time talking about and watching their favourite sport than those anywhere else on the planet.   The study found the typical Englishman watches football matches for two hours and 22 minutes, either in full or in the form of highlights, every week. They also spend three hours and 21 minutes chatting about the latest results, tackles, goals or transfer gossip with their mates.   In second place were the Samba boys from Brazil who spend two hours and 10 minutes a week tuned into the action on the pitch and a further three hours and 20 minutes each week debating the beautiful game. Thailand, Ireland and Mexico respectively complete the top five.   Surprisingly, the Dutch with their fervent orange army spend just 92 minutes watching football per week – the equivalent of just one UEFA Champions League match. Joining them at the bottom of the table were the French with 107 minutes a week and Russian men with 112.   South Africans are the most social country with 20% of men watching football in groups of ten or more closely followed by the samba boys once more. However the French are not so keen on crowds, preferring to watch the game in groups of three or less.   With FC Internazionale Milano and FC Bayern München set to go head-to-head in Madrid this weekend, the UEFA Champions League was placed top of the football entertainment league with the global fans surveyed. 57% stated they are more excited by Europe’s premier club competition than the World Cup, European Championships or any domestic league. Italian (77%) and Chinese (75%) fans were the biggest supporters of the competition.