I became one aficionado of this subject.

Why did it became so important for me?

Well, along the way I’ve made a lot of questions.
Did you ever understood why does some Clubs win more than others? 

Why does some players, or Coaches, are set to believe that going to certain Clubs will give them an edge in conquering more trophies?

Is it the money, or there’s something else?
Or, more deeply, that they are expected to behave in a certain way when they move another Club?
What is the impact of the country of the Club? 

Is there any?

I’ve come to the understanding that the answer is a definite: YES!

Culture is a very, very strong aspect of the Game.

Of course, there will always be a Boavista or a Leicester along the way, but generally (and this tendency only seems to be greater as time goes by) the legendary teams will always win. And this is where I believe that experience of accumulated wins along the years play a decisive role. 

The money aspect cannot be taken in consideration here, in my opinion, as within the top-Clubs there’s no greater difference in budgeting, honestly. 

I look for other aspects, like transfers. 

Have you noticed that the big Clubs are way more selective in the players they choose? Aspects such as the previous team experience in winning, calendar, quantity of matches played per week (which in Europe means if they are used to European Competitions exposure, calendar, recovery and training schemes, etc).

Other aspect, maybe a little more controversial and assuming that I might be wrong in my judgment, is the Head Coach that is assuming the team. Here, because, there may be some moves we don’t fully understand, or may not make sense at first sight. 

Say Roberto De Zerbi, a Coach focused on positive attacking and possession oriented philosophy of the Game, signing at Brighton & Hove Albion. 

Or, imagine Jose Mourinho signing for Barcelona?

Does the Coach completely understands the identity of the Club, the history, the weight of the history?
Therefore, does the Coach understands the Culture of the Club?

Or every Coach is supposed to reach and install his own philosophy, creating a new one in every Club? 

And every Club changing constantly?

Let’s be clear here, we don’t expect the same mentality, philosophy and style of play in all teams. 

We simply don’t.

And there’s a reason for that – Culture.

What kind of Football do you expect some teams to play?

Meaning, do you expect Arsenal to play the same style of Football as Manchester United or Chelsea?
Or Porto to play the same as Benfica?
No!

Now, that doesn’t mean Clubs are not allowed to want a change and to look for a specific Coach to implement that change. 

Nor that Coaches may understand they have the capacity to change, or modify/adapt, others identity.

But we need to understand that Culture is the hardest thing to change, because it takes an element that we tend to not understand fully – time. 

In the winnings or defeats, trophies or losses, the emotional part takes control and emotions rarely understand the need of time to progress.

And Football is Emotion.

Just as it is Culture.

Imagine you’re now signing for Real Madrid FC. 

You know that you will (eventually) win a UEFA Champions League, right?

It’s just on their blood, on their veins and is normal to conquer that and all the other trophies.

That’s how powerful it is Culture.

Culture of win.

Culture of not settling for less than your best.

Culture of work relentlessly.

Build your own Culture.