Euro 2008 in Europe
A few years ago I was travelling around Europe at the time of the UEFA Euro 2008 Championships, which were being held in Austria and Switzerland. We had booked several cheap hostels in advance assuming that these two countries at least, would be packed with football fans. We were not wrong. The atmosphere was amazing.
We got to Switzerland, unfortunately, before the tournament started, but it was a lot of fun seeing the country in its preparation stage. You could tell there was an air of excitement about the place and it was contagious. We didn’t stay long in Switzerland and by the time the tournament started, we were in Italy. What a place to be when football is on the telly.
The Italians, and foreign travellers, were very much into the swing of things and were very welcoming to any fans of any other country. We felt we were part of a group that was simply enjoying some of the best football in the world on one of its biggest stages.
We did eventually get round to Austria as the championships were still going. The streets were filled with angry, sad, exuberant and frustrated football fans and it was difficult not to join in the celebrations when I saw them. Conversely, it was also difficult not to console those fans of the teams that had seen their European glory taken away from them. As an England fan, I know exactly what it is like to taste a bitter loss (usually on penalties).
Even by the time we got to Prague, the tournament was still going on and heading into its final stages. I remember fondly sitting in the bar in the hostel with a group of 12 or so Germans, watching Germany vs. Portugal. Despite the closeness of the game, the Germans were upbeat throughout and gave the bar a welcoming atmosphere. After advancing, there followed a lengthy celebration party that I was only too happy to take part in. I know it’s Germany…but still.
Euro 2008 in Europe was a massively enjoyable experience and it was probably that good because I wasn’t fretting about England the entire time. I was able to enjoy the cities and the football for what they were and it was fantastic.
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