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FULL SIZE VERSION: Click Here
The map was made with Inkscape using information and crests/logos from Wikipedia. Some of the logos had to be retrieved from Google image searches in order to find images with transparent backgrounds. Team colors were matched to kit colors with ColorPick Eyedropper Chrome extension. I decided on stripes or gradients on an inconsistent basis. If you would like the SVG file to make your own edits, you can leave a comment below.
Following the effort of the College Football Map that I have posted on this blog, I decided to try my hand with the other football (soccer). I am fairly unfamiliar with the geography and fan spread of these leagues, but I tried my best with what information I could gather. I have been getting more into club soccer in Europe in the last couple of years and this kind of helps position the teams in my mind geographically, so it was a fun project. I am sure there will be plenty of complaints about the map (provided there will be people who actually see it), but I am open to making revisions of the map for greater accuracy. I even wouldn't mind the addition of other leagues, but I would need to do a little more research on that.
Before I continue I should mention that aesthetics were a big decision making criteria for this map, even at the cost of some accuracy. It is a given that making an accurate fan map would actually become pretty ugly and confusion. I instituted a could of rules to keep the map prettier (just like on the cfb version):
1) Continuous and regular shapes for each region. No disconnected regions
2) The regions should partition the whole map. No empty spaces or overlaps
3) Except smaller team with no region map (only a logo/crest stamp) create small overlaps
4) Avoid adjacent areas sharing the same background color. Switch to alternate colors if possible.
So yes, I know that it won't be absolutely accurate. An exactly accurate map would either be impossible or look hideous.
As far as inclusion of teams, I followed a two-tiered system.
1) For (physically) larger countries [England/Wales, France, Germany, Spain, Italy], include all teams which have played in the top level at any time within the last five years
2) For (physically) smaller countries [Portugal, Netherlands], include only teams which have played at the top level in all of the last five years.
I added Portugal and the Netherlands last and found it very difficult and muddled to try to fit a lot of teams into the smaller space. Even England and Italy were harder to work with.
The island in the square is Madeira and belongs to the Portugese league.
Following the effort of the College Football Map that I have posted on this blog, I decided to try my hand with the other football (soccer). I am fairly unfamiliar with the geography and fan spread of these leagues, but I tried my best with what information I could gather. I have been getting more into club soccer in Europe in the last couple of years and this kind of helps position the teams in my mind geographically, so it was a fun project. I am sure there will be plenty of complaints about the map (provided there will be people who actually see it), but I am open to making revisions of the map for greater accuracy. I even wouldn't mind the addition of other leagues, but I would need to do a little more research on that.
Before I continue I should mention that aesthetics were a big decision making criteria for this map, even at the cost of some accuracy. It is a given that making an accurate fan map would actually become pretty ugly and confusion. I instituted a could of rules to keep the map prettier (just like on the cfb version):
1) Continuous and regular shapes for each region. No disconnected regions
2) The regions should partition the whole map. No empty spaces or overlaps
3) Except smaller team with no region map (only a logo/crest stamp) create small overlaps
4) Avoid adjacent areas sharing the same background color. Switch to alternate colors if possible.
So yes, I know that it won't be absolutely accurate. An exactly accurate map would either be impossible or look hideous.
As far as inclusion of teams, I followed a two-tiered system.
1) For (physically) larger countries [England/Wales, France, Germany, Spain, Italy], include all teams which have played in the top level at any time within the last five years
2) For (physically) smaller countries [Portugal, Netherlands], include only teams which have played at the top level in all of the last five years.
I added Portugal and the Netherlands last and found it very difficult and muddled to try to fit a lot of teams into the smaller space. Even England and Italy were harder to work with.
The island in the square is Madeira and belongs to the Portugese league.
Amazing work! I'd want to print it and give it to my son. He loves football and I'm sure your map is going to make him very happy.
ReplyDeleteIf you could provide me a SVG version I would appreciate it very much. Thank you!
BTW, I read this https://twitter.com/FootballFunnys/status/410870784752484352 (> 1700 RTs) and then used Google images to find out the original source.
ReplyDeleteAmazing map...but in Portugal, Sporting Clube de Braga isn't bigger than Vitória Sport Club. That's unfair Vitória have the same background as Braga. Braga only appears as a good team in the last 5/7 years. Vitória always was the Best team on the region. And missing some good teams too like Belenenses from Benfica/Sporting region. Boavista from Porto region. Gil Vicente and Moreirense from Braga/Vitória region. Farense and Portimonense from Olhanense region.
ReplyDeleteStill in Portugal. Missing Estoril in Benfica/Sporting region and Varzim in Porto/Rio Ave/Paços de Ferreira region. Académica background colour should be balck and not white because the black is the main color team, but I think you put white because of the crest so that's ok. But please in Braga region divide them in two similiar parts colors, White and Red. In the white part put the Vitória Sport Club crest bigger, and the red part the Sporting de Braga crest. That was important because Braga is not the biggest club in the region. If you check the Portuguese table right now you can see that in the team positions, even in the team positions of all times you can see Vitória Sport Club as the 5th best team in Portugal, even some people say that Vitória is the 4th biggest team in Portugal.
ReplyDeleteSorry only now I read the difficult you have to made Portugal teams because of the space. But please the thing I sayed about Vitória please made it :)
ReplyDeleteIt may be a while before I make any changes. If you send me a rough sketch of what you think the regions would be, I can incorporate it into the next map (if I ever make one)
DeleteRemember now...missed the Portugal island Azores and their best island club...Santa Clara
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! it's nice to see that Lyon surrounds this rot Saint-Etienne. You have our gratitude, you're a champion. Go OL! The Derby is ours!
ReplyDeleteHI There can I please have SVG version?
ReplyDeleteMher Alaverdyan,
ReplyDeleteVery impressive graphic!! My wife and i are both cartographers; she follows BPL (Tottenham), while I prefer Bundesliga (Bayern). We are interested in how the polygon boundaries were created for each club within the country boundaries. Was it an algorithmic process, or more of an artistic rendering? We would very much appreciate the svg file as well. Do you have aspirations to update, or was this meant as a snapshot type project?
excuse me wheres the Scottish teams
ReplyDeleteAmazing a great poster for FREE gREAT
ReplyDelete