Football travel: A passion for the sport and stadium experiences is written by Jesper Munk Hansen.

Holiday for football romantics – inspiration for your next football trip
I love soccer and I love to travel. So what could be more appropriate than combining the two things and going on a football trip?
Soccer is more than just a sport; it is a culture, a passion and an experience that binds people together across borders and cultures.
For me, a football trip has always been a way to combine my love of the sport with exploring some of Europe's most iconic cities and stadiums. I have always been very fascinated by stadiums. Both full and empty stadiums. A full stadium can give a fantastic atmosphere, but I have also always been interested in the stadium itself and the history behind it as well as the architecture.
I've been lucky enough to experience some of the best European football has to offer, from dramatic matches in the Italian Serie A to intense atmospheres at the U21 European Championship.
In this article, I will share some of my most memorable experiences from football travels involving countries such as Germany, Italy, Portugal, England, Czech Republic, France and Poland.
Dan ideal football journey: Juventus and the passion for Serie A
As a dedicated Juventus fan since watching Roberto Baggio on TV in 1991, I have had the amazing experience of watching my favorite team play seven times. Five of those games were in Serie A, where I have been Rome, Turin and Milan to see them in action.
Stepping into the Allianz Stadium in Turin is something very special. The atmosphere is electric and the fans, the so-called 'Bianconeri' – the black and white – live and breathe for their club.
As a Juventus fan, hearing the anthem is an indescribable feeling Storia di un Grande Amore – The story of a Great Love – in the loudspeakers at the stadium, while 40.000 other fans also sing along.
Storia di un Grande Amore is my ringtone on the phone and I know all the lyrics in Italian, so of course I also contribute my limited singing voice when I'm in the stadium.
I've been lucky enough that Juventus have never lost when I've seen them live. Neither in Serie A nor in the Champions League, where I have seen them play twice.
In addition to Turin, I have also experienced Juventus play at the mighty Stadio Olimpico in Rome, where I have twice had the pleasure of standing among Juventus fans when AS Roma have been hosts.
I Milan I witnessed an unforgettable Juventus victory against AC Milan at San Siro, a stadium full of history and pride. Each city has its own unique atmosphere and football culture, and this makes the experience of following Juventus around Italy something very special.
One of my greatest experiences with Juventus has been watching them lift the Serie A trophy at home in 2018.
I have a great desire to experience the Derby d'Italia one day. The match between Juventus from Turin and Inter from Milan, which is one of the biggest rivalries in Italy. The Battle for Northern Italy.

U21 EC: The future of football
In addition to following the big clubs, I have also had the pleasure of being on a football trip and experiencing the U21 EC in boats Poland, Czech Republic og Italy. These tournaments provide an opportunity to see the next big stars unfold on the international stage.
In the summer of 2015, I met, among others, a young Pierre-Emile Højbjerg at the tournament in the Czech Republic, where, despite being only 19 years old, he played in the U21 national team. He had already made his A national team debut the year before as an 18-year-old.
The U21 matches in Poland and the Czech Republic were intense and there was huge passion from the crowd, even though they were youth tournaments.
In Italy, it was something special to see the U21 European Championship in a smaller stadium in Trieste after my Serie A experiences in the biggest arenas in Turin, Milan and Rome.
Watching the future football stars is a completely different, but equally fascinating, experience. The U21 EC has an energy and intensity that gives an insight into the future football generations, and it has been a pleasure to follow these tournaments around Europe.
Germany: Intense matches and iconic stadiums
Germany is arguably one of the best footballing nations in Europe and has some of the best stadiums. And I've had the pleasure of visiting some of the most iconic.
Olympic Stadium in Berlin is a historic masterpiece that has hosted both the Olympics and World Cup finals. Here I have both seen matches and been on a stadium tour.
The Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen, home of Schalke 04, has an intense atmosphere that is hard to match. Here I have seen two Champions League matches with Schalke 04, when they were a big team in Germany.
In Munich it was a pleasure to visit the Allianz Arena. The architectural masterpiece in Munich, where I watched the Euro 2024, I dare say is the most impressive stadium I have been to.
Weserstadion i Bremen and Volksparkstadion i Hamburg also gave each their own experiences where the German fans really show their dedication to their clubs. Especially in Hamburg, the loyal fans are always in place and the stadium is always full, regardless of how their team is doing.
German football is perfect for a football trip as Germany is known for its infrastructure where the fan experience is at the center and the stadium visits in Germany have been some of the most memorable of my travels.

England: Where football started
England is the home of football, and while I haven't seen that many matches there yet, it's impossible to ignore the country's influence on the sport.
The English Premier League is known as one of the best leagues in the world and the atmosphere created by the fans is truly unique. It is quite obvious to let England be the goal of a football trip.
London, Manchester and Liverpool are just some of the cities where football is part of everyday life and where a visit to the stadium is a must for every football fan.
However, I have not seen football matches in Manchester or Liverpool, but in London I have visited one of the smaller stadiums – Selhurst Park, which is the home ground of Crystal Palace.
It was a very different stadium experience to visit Selhurst Park, which is set among houses in an ordinary residential area and which looks mostly like an ordinary building from the outside.
It is an older stadium which was inaugurated in 1924 and the old stadium construction is clearly visible with supporting poles from the floor to the roof of the stands. The roof is so low that you cannot see the spectators on the opposite stand. But luckily you can see the pitch and that is the most important thing.

Portugal, France and stadium tours
Though Portugal og France have not filled as much of my football travels as Germany and Italy, they have nevertheless offered some memorable experiences.
In France, I have been on a stadium tour Paris, where I visited the Stade de France in 2020. It was a fascinating experience to see France's national stadium behind the scenes.
Two years later I was lucky enough to experience the Stade de France again. This time for an international match between France and Denmark. A fantastic game, which was made even better by the fact that Denmark won 2-1 with almost 76.000 disappointed French spectators as witnesses.
In Portugal, football is almost a religion and stadiums are filled with passionate fans who support their clubs with an intensity that is hard to match.
A visit to the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon to see Benfica play has allowed me to experience this unique football culture up close.
Benfica won 1-0 over Vitória Guimarães to the delight of both players, spectators and Benfica's mascot, the bald eagle, Águia Vitória.
The experience behind a football trip
For me, a football trip is not only about the game on the pitch, but also about everything that happens outside the stadium. It's about being part of the local culture, tasting the food, meeting the local fans and exploring the cities that house these big and small football clubs.
Football trips are also a way to experience other football fans across national borders. It is the community that sport creates that is truly special.
Football trips in Europe have given me countless unforgettable experiences. From the big clubs in Italy and Germany to the youth internationals at the U21 European Championship, I have had the pleasure of watching football in some of the most legendary stadiums in Europe.
Each trip offers a new experience, and each city has its own story to tell through football.
Each trip has been a new way to experience football culture and I look forward to many more matches and adventures in the future.
Enjoy your football trip in Europe.
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