All the countries are interested in modern sports, whereas in Ireland and the UK traditional sports are more popular, which contributes to the preservation of their national identities and values. This relates back to the theory of essentialism, in which culture is perceived as a small, individual and unique unit in a nation (Intercultural Communication: An Advanced Resource Book). This can also been seen in the cases of Slovenia and Croatia, whose successful sports people are helping contribute to a national pride and identity.
Each of the countries also had their own individual results which were interesting. Although Croatia is a relatively small country, it has respectable results in various championships, and sports are a very popular leisure time. Although football is by far the most popular sport, other sports are also gaining in popularity. Sports in which Croatian teams achieve good results, like handball, water polo and tennis are contributing to their rise. This is largely seen in the success in these sports at international competitions and in the Olympics.
Similarly to Croatia, the success of the Slovenian national teams is helping create an identity on an international level. Out of thirty Slovenians of different ages that responded to our survey, the majority of them considered basketball and skiing to be the most popular sports in Slovenia, with the most popular being football. Half of the participants claimed that hockey has become one of the four most practiced sports in Slovenia, especially thanks to Anže Kopitar whose remarkable achievements have put Slovenia on the map.