REPRESENTING their country at the FIFA World Cup is the ultimate goal for footballers all over the world.

However, new research suggests that it’s not just the players who dream of going to the tournament after British supporters revealed the most outrageous things they’d be prepared to do to see their country compete in person.

The study, conducted by Ladbrokes Casino, asked 1,000 UK males about the sacrifices they’d be prepared to make to go to the competition.

The survey was launched to coincide with their new online excuse generator, which helps those desperate to watch the matches think of creative ways to get out of work and social commitments.

The research found that one in ten male millennials would be prepared to miss their own wedding in order to attend the World Cup.

The same quantity would consider breaking up with their partner, while 11 per cent would be willing to quit their job in order to go to the games.

Surprisingly, more UK supporters would be open to the idea of missing a friend or close relative’s wedding (16 per cent) than giving up their smartphone (13 per cent).

If the opportunity arose to get tickets, nearly two in five (39 per cent) respondents would think about calling in sick at work, while around half of those (19 per cent) confessed to having already done so in the past to watch sport.

For some, the prospect of watching their country at a World Cup is so enticing that they would be prepared to give up their beloved pets. One in twenty UK males would be willing to sell their dog in order to go to the tournament, with Scots the most amenable to this sacrifice (10 per cent).

The Welsh, on the other hand, would rather put their own bodies on the line, with one in twelve prepared to break a bone if it meant they could be in the crowd.

The top ten things UK males would consider doing in order to go to a World Cup are:

1) Calling in sick at work – 39 per cent

2) Missing a close friend or relative’s wedding – 16 per cent

3) Giving up their smartphone – 13 per cent

4) Cancelling travel plans – 11 per cent

= Faking a doctor’s note – 11 per cent

= Missing an exam/test – 11 per cent

= Taking part in a clinical trial – 11 per cent

8) Missing a funeral – 10 per cent

9) Breaking up with a partner – seven per cent

10) Doing someone else’s chores for a whole year – six per cent

Kaidi Kuusk at Ladbrokes Casino said: “Football fans in the UK are famous worldwide for their incredible support and loyalty, so it comes as no surprise to hear that they are prepared to go to such extreme lengths to follow their country.

"The FIFA World Cup is a fantastic event featuring the very best players from all over the planet.

"Our new online tool is the perfect way to make sure you have a good excuse up your sleeve for when you just can’t bear the idea of missing a game."