SINGAPORE - What would you sacrifice to see your country win
soccer's World Cup? Food for a week, according to a survey that
also found fans willing to lose a limb for their team's glory.
Fifty-one percent of respondents to the tongue-in-cheek survey
of 20,000 people, who live in North America but hail from countries
with teams in the June 11-July 11 World Cup, said they would starve
themselves for a week if that would bring victory to their national
squad.
More than 40 percent offered to give up dating for a year, while
seven percent said they would gladly give up their job to see their
country win the title.
A further four percent were willing to give away a body
part.
The survey was conducted by U.S.-based international calling
firm VIP Communications Inc ahead of the South African extravaganza
featuring 32 nations.
It found that a majority of English respondents -- 93 percent --
would give up food for a week to see England win, while some 70
percent of Italians would give up their job for an Italian
victory.
Americans were most willing to sacrifice their homes, while
South Koreans were most ready to sacrifice their love life.
And the people least willing to make a sacrifice?
The survey found that only 3 percent of Slovakians would give up
anything to improve their country's chances of victory.