Losing at football can cause more of a sting than in other sports, says Dr Martha Newson from the University of Greenwich.
“Few people are going to cry and get upset about whoever loses Wimbledon,” explains the behavioural scientist.
“Football is different… we talk about the national team like it’s us out there.”
For supporter Oli Portlock, an England loss feels like a “national funeral… a big grey cloud over the nation when England’s been knocked out”.
The 27-year-old recalls the “absolute heartbreak” of England’s defeat to Italy in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley. “It certainly ruined the next week in work for me.”
Recognising the feeling of pain is an important step, says Dr David Crepaz-Keay from the Mental Health Foundation.
But don’t get too worried, he says, because the emotional dip “typically fades within a couple of hours”.
So if you feel like you are wallowing in misery, ride it out and tell yourself it’s just part of the process.