Weltmeister!

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I wouldn't describe myself as a football fan. I was brought up in a rugby household. However there is something special about supporting your country.

I was living in Barcelona on an Erasmus placement in 2006 which was also world cup time. It was great fun given that we had representatives from most countries there (certainly Europe and South America). Of course it was all good fun, watching the games with calamari and a Spanish beer. When Italy won, there was a huge celebration - they were probably the biggest group of students there.

This world cup will be another one which I will always remember. It started when we watched the group stage games in the hospital. The lady in our room was Columbian and her husband Spanish so between us we had four teams to champion. Despite England and Spain's performances this year, Germany did us proud and we can always tell Isabella about it.

European Cup

For the last week or so, my time on an evening has mainly been spent hitting the update button on this German football website in order to stay on top of the situation in the European Cup and so far it has paid off with all three of my teams getting through.

I was brought up with rugby and still prefer to sit through eighty minutes of rugby than ninety minutes of football with the exception of when Barcelona hit the pitch.  It wasn't until my year abroad when I lived in that amazing city that I really 'got' football.  Part of it was the social side - hitting a sports bar with the Erasmus crowd and washing down a plate of tapas with a bottle of Estrella Damm, part of it was the fact that FC Barcelona invented the exciting football game.  It was also the year of the world cup which was extra exciting as we all had our little mini country groups within Erasmus and also adopted each others' teams when our own was knocked out.  The Italians were the biggest group there and the happiest on that night!!  

Of course Barcelona aren't in the European Cup, but Spain are and I still find them the most exciting team so this weekend will be especially exciting with all of my teams in the quarter finals and not against each other so I don't have to choose yet!  I may have to find some Estrella Damm here in Bremen and dig out the tapas recipes to relive some good times.  I hope you enjoy the football wherever you may be and whoever you are cheering for.

Visca el Barca!

Check out the match report here

Don't forget to tune in on the 28th!