More than half of British football fans admit to having a second team, according to new research.

And with over a third reckoning it doesn’t matter how many clubs you support, it’s been revealed that Premier League giants Liverpool narrowly beat red-hot rivals Manchester United as the nation’s most loved second side.

There’s no denying football has become more tribal in recent times, with rivalries boiling over both on and off the pitch.

But with the new Premier League season now in full swing, a new poll has revealed that some football fans don't buy into the tribalism – with 56% willing to put rivalries aside and support a second team.

The poll, commissioned by Sportsbreaks.com and which offers personalised tickets to the biggest Premier League games, also showed 36% say it doesn’t matter how many teams you support, with Liverpool (8.7%) beating United (8.5%) as the nation’s most loved second side.

The traditional ‘Big Six’ clubs proved most popular when football fans were asked to name their second favourite teams, with Arsenal (7%) in third place, followed by Manchester City (5.8%), Chelsea (5.6%) and Tottenham (4.3%).

Amanda Brandariz, Head of Sportsbreaks.com, said: “From rich club histories and iconic songs to players who catch your eye with their skill or score points for your fantasy team, there are so many reasons why you can’t help but have a soft spot for your rivals in football.

“Club tribalism shouldn’t get in the way of football fans’ general love of the game, and at Sportsbreaks.com we pride ourselves on providing the very best fan experiences, so fans can enjoy games around Europe following their first, second or even fifth team!”

While football rivalries are most intensely felt amongst local clubs, it is perhaps not surprising that over one in five (22%) football fans say it’s only acceptable to have a second team if they play abroad.

With a rich history full of trophies and iconic players, Barcelona (30%) tops the list of most popular second teams abroad, defeating their ‘El Classico’ rivals Real Madrid (22%) who came in second place.

Spanish second teams proved to be more popular than any other country, with Italy’s AC Milan (12%) in third, Germany’s Bayern Munich (10%) in fourth and France’s Paris Saint-Germain (9%) rounding out the top five.

And it’s not just with other clubs where fans will admit they have a soft spot for their rivals, with many taking a particular shine to England’s star players.

Football fans have named England and Manchester United star Marcus Rashford as their favourite player who doesn’t play for their team, cited by almost a third (27%) of respondents, with Rashford’s work to support disadvantaged school children perhaps one reason why he’s so popular.

Fellow England stars Bukayo Saka (19%) and Jack Grealish (17%) came in second and third place, respectively, whilst Liverpool’s Mohammed Salah (17%) and Manchester City duo Erling Haaland (14%) and Kevin De Bruyne (12%) were the most popular non-English players.

Looking outside of the Premier League, Lionel Messi, fresh from his move to Inter Miami once again has gained the edge over his rival in the ‘GOAT’ debate, with half (46%) of UK football fans naming him their favourite player who plays abroad. Ronaldo had to settle for the second spot, with 39% of fans listing him as their favourite player. Although his club future remains uncertain, Kylian Mbappe (28%) came in third, England’s Jude Bellingham (27%), who recently became the sixth Brit to play for Real Madrid came in fourth, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar (22%) rounding out the top five.