Having a pint or a burger before watching a football match is a ritual for fans.

Now a study has found that supporters enjoy pre-game activities more than the match itself.

Data from heart rate monitors worn by 17 Brazilian football fans who attended a cup final revealed that the level of collective excitement was higher before the game than during it.

The “Rua de Fogo” ritual of these fans involves meeting up hours before the match to chant and set off flares while greeting the team bus carrying the players to the ground.

This was the most collective excitement the group of study participants felt all day, with the exception of a brief spike when their team scored.

But the overall joy of the group, known as collective effervescence, from the pre-game ceremonies exceeded the average excitement of the 90 minutes of football, the data showed.