Pragmatic answer: do whatever other people find cool. Because sports is ultimately pretty unimportant, you should take some time to put your political mind to rest, so you can bound with other supporters, have great time, be normal. Not politicising everything ever helps you understand others, and if you're ultimately always thinking about raising class consciousness, it's beneficial to avoid being an annoying lefty wierdo who constantly brings up politics!
But also being elitist against sports team players isnt going to help you build popular support and would creep into being IDpol id suspect; id better focus my attention at criticizing capitalist infulence on sports rather than sports players themselves, more likely to build friendships with my fellow working class who enjoy it by tapping into something they likely feel too, then explaining it with a marxist analysis.
Edit:
Also you're right to ID that sports players tend to be bougie, I think its because while they dont all start as bougie people (although it helps) capitalist sports encourage a fascist mindset, and reward those who manage to climb to the top untold wealth; it certainly would give one the impression of neo-liberal myths being true regarding hard works reward; its an illusion of course.
does this mean you can go down to the pub and shout 'KILL THE ENGLISH BASTARDS' at a screen with a bunch of other people in a hypothetical ireland vs england match? if yes, then you are obliged to do it
Itโs one of those things where if the country is shitty enough, I feel an instinct to root against them. Iโm from the US, hell I even have a Team USA soccer jersey but when Team USA plays in the world cup I root for them to lose. I get it that itโs not important or anything. I donโt mistakenly think that itโs revolutionary to root against the USA, I just donโt like the USA and would prefer them to lose. Just my two cents on the matter.
bro the bourgeoisie are beating the shit out of each other for your entertainment! Its the best thing any of them have done for the working class in their lives!
I'm able to look past politics to root for the USA at international events, so don't feel bad about rooting for ireland. Its literally the only good white person country. besides maybe iceland?
Don't give us too much credit. We're a willing aircraft carrier for American warmongering and a tax haven for its imperialism. There's very little class consciousness, we've elected right wing parties for a hundred years and our state is based on the betrayal of our fellow nation members in the north of the country. Our current state leaders are going on about 'Israel's right to defend itself' and supports America in all of its atrocities.
Fair, I was more thinking culturally. Its the only white country I know of where everyone who visits has a good time, black, brown, lgbt. Obviously its capitalist and EU. But its not like spain where someone gets an aneurysm if someone thinks theyre morrocan, and black footballers get bananas thrown at them.
I think you can support Ireland without any concern. Like other commentators have said, its just sports. In the World Cup last year I went to a local pub for the Canada matches and had a great time cheering for the team despite obviously hating 98% of what Canada is all about.
Its fun to have something to enjoy with others in your community if you can, one of the big reasons I like sports.