EURO 2024 has been absolutely incredible! It is a tournament that has had a record number of goals scored, temporary Cinderella stories, sensational displays of support from all of the nations involved, and dramatic spectacles that have had us all on the edges of our seats. At the time of writing this, the final between Spain and England at the Olympiastadion in Berlin has not kicked off quite yet, but even without the final, there is so much to be thankful for, regardless of where your allegiances are; we have all witnessed some amazing football.
Without any discredit to Qatar, Russia, or any of the several European cities that hosted matches for EURO 2020, there has just been something missing from the past couple of international tournaments. It is difficult to put your finger on just exactly what had been missing, but there is a unanimous feeling that what any of those previous tournaments might have lacked, Germany has made up for it this past month.
Remanent feelings of the 2006 World Cup finals, which Germany also hosted, loomed large in the air in the buildup to the Euros kicking off at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena, and that general aura and atmosphere has been abundant all throughout the tournament. From the Saxophone-wielding German fan leading renditions of popular hits to the Dutch fans doing that seemingly choreographed dance where they move from left to right in unison, everything has just felt there in terms of the air an international tournament should bring.
There have been isolated incidents of violence and mischief, but that is incredibly difficult to avoid entirely when large groups of fans ascend on concentrated locations; it is almost impossible to mitigate 100% of the risks that come with the territory. With that said, as football fans, a massive “thank you” is owed to Germany for so graciously hosting an amazing tournament.
Thank you to Berlin, Munich, Leipzig, Stuttgart, Dortmund, Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, and Cologne. Not only is this a ‘thank you’ to those cities, but also to their law enforcement, security personnel, stadium workers, stewards, restaurant and hospitality workers, transportation workers, legislative personnel, UEFA officials, and to the people of Germany and the host cities. There’s a saying that “it takes a village,” but for something like this to go successfully, it is much more than that and it should not go unrecognized. Additionally, thank you to all of the fans who have provided electric and vibrant atmospheres in support of your nations, but more importantly, for the love of the beautiful game.
Wir danken Ihnen von ganzem Herzen!
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