UEFA EURO 2024🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿⚽️

Rianna Holland
Nov 7, 2024
4 min read

Updated: 11 minutes ago

If you had told me a year ago that my first-ever football match would be at the Euros — watching the England team live — I probably wouldn’t have believed you. But there I was, sitting in the stadium, cheering with thousands of fans, and witnessing it all in real time.

This trip was mainly about football, but it was also about amazing cities, quality time with family, and moments I’ll never forget. My very first football match kicked off in Dortmund. I went with my dad, my brother Chris, and his girlfriend Gabby, to Germany in June for the 2024 Euros, and it was unlike anything I had imagined. Let me take you along the journey!

Kicking Off in Dortmund

On June 14th, my dad and I boarded a nine-hour flight from Mumbai to Frankfurt. Despite a one-hour delay, we still landed on time and took a train straight from Frankfurt Airport to Dortmund — where England’s first game was scheduled.

We stayed at the Residence Inn by Marriott Dortmund City, just a 10-minute walk from the city centre. The entire city was buzzing — draped in football decorations, packed with excited fans. We even spotted tons of Albanian fans (their game against Italy was two days later). That evening, we explored the centre, stopped at a pub called Maximilian Dortmund where I had the best crêpe (yes, dessert before dinner 😋), and later had steaks at ALEX Dortmund, a great spot right opposite our hotel.

The next day, we visited the German Football Museum, where I saw trophies, explored football history, and even tried commentating on past games. Then, on Sunday, Chris and Gabby joined us in Dortmund, and we all headed to the Gelsenkirchen stadium for the England vs Serbia match.

It was electric. The energy. The chants. The flags. 13 minutes in, our favourite — No. 10, Jude Bellingham — scored. The crowd roared “JUDE!" and I still get chills thinking about it. England won 1–0. I was on a high. We rushed to catch the tram back (first ones in!) and celebrated in the pubs, surrounded by smiling fans and so many police officers.

Frankfurt Adventures

The next morning, June 17th, we nearly missed our train to Frankfurt — all because we misread the time and rushed like mad! We stayed at the Moxy Frankfurt City Center, but honestly, it wasn’t what we expected. Still, we made the most of our four days there. My parents had visited Frankfurt before, so we already had restaurant and shopping plans lined up.

On match day (June 20th), we grabbed lunch at MIZU Restaurant Frankfurt, a Korean-Chinese spot where I got my favourite har gau and bibimbap. Then it was off to the stadium in Frankfurt for England vs Denmark. Kane scored early, but Denmark equalised. Final score: 1–1. A little disappointing, but at least we didn’t lose. After the game, we joined a crowd of England fans singing in the streets — something I didn’t even know happened. But it was honestly so fun and unforgettable.

Next Up: Cologne

From Frankfurt, we took a train to Cologne. Thankfully, the ride was short, and our hotel — the Cologne Marriott Hotel — was amazing, way better than the previous two (my personal favourite). While in Cologne, we explored the Schokoladenmuseum (Chocolate Museum), revisited the gorgeous Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom), and took a boat ride down the Rhine River. The weather was perfect, and everything felt so relaxed.

Our favourite restaurant in Cologne quickly became our go-to spot, and on June 25th, we watched our final match of the trip: England vs Slovenia. Sadly, it ended 0–0, but Cologne was still my favourite stop in Germany.

A Quick Detour to the UK

After Cologne, we flew to the UK to visit more family — a lovely break before the next big moment.

Back to Germany — Round Two!

After England beat Switzerland in the quarterfinals, my dad decided we had to go back for the semis and finals. So, on July 10th, we flew to Frankfurt early morning, then took a train to Düsseldorf and checked in to the Mercure Hotel Düsseldorf City Center — only 5 minutes from the station!

That same night, we watched the semi-final: England vs Netherlands. Kane scored a penalty in the 18th minute, and the winning goal came in the 90th minute by Ollie Watkins. The crowd went wild. I was jumping, screaming, and just so grateful to be there in person. England was through to the finals!!!

The Big One: England vs Spain

Now came the hard part — buying final match tickets, booking trains and hotels last minute — total chaos. But somehow, we managed.

On July 14th, I found myself at the Berlin stadium, watching the final with my dad and Chris. England vs Spain. The ultimate match. The vibe? Unmatched. The crowd? Insane. The result? Not what we wanted — but just being there was the most surreal, incredible, unforgettable experience of my life.

From watching Jude score to England reaching the finals, and being there every step of the way — I still can’t believe my first-ever football match was part of something so huge.