Welcome to the 21st episode of the Ozkoç and King Soccer Podcast Show
Major finals like those of the Europa League or Champions League come every year, and we can always look forward to watching them on TV. But for some fans and players, attending these finals can be a once in a lifetime dream. Even after receiving the tickets, they can still be stuck in disbelief. After all, they are visiting a world class venue and watching two deserving finalists, each looking make history in their own way.
“It’s a special moment, for sure,” says Kerry. “To watch history in the making. To be a part of it. The feeling is unforgettable.” Plenty of people attends tournament finals as neutrals. They’ve got no horse in the race and are just there to enjoy the spectacle. But most of the fans in the stadium go brandishing the merchandise of the team they support. They sing, chant, jeer. They meet up with fellow fans and partake in the atmosphere before, during, and after the game. When the game commences, they’re not only watching history but there watching their team make history.
“People sometimes forget that these games are just as big for fans as they are for players,” Oz explains. “As they say, ‘players come and go, but fans are forever.’ Fans of teams like Real Madrid and Juventus experience the drama and stress of major finals more often than most, a lifetime of cheering and suffering.”
“When the final whistle blows, and your team has either won or lost, the moments following the game stay with you always., whether you want them to or not,” Kerry notes. “You remember the losses, despite trying to forget them, and you happily replay the wins in your head, day after day, wanting to recapture that initial feeling of ecstasy.” This is what its like to be a fan.
Champions League Final Europa League Final
Fernando Cerna David Åwall
