Spain hosted Sweden on June 11th, 2019 at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid for a Group F EURO 2020 qualifying match. Growing up playing, watching, and being a fan of Spanish football, I knew that there was no way I would go on to miss this match. It has always been a dream of mine to have the opportunity to soak in a soccer match on European soil, and the game did not disappoint.
When entering the Madrid metro before the match, I felt as if I was marching alongside close peers as we all wore the red shirts of the Spanish flag, demonstrating the colors of the Spanish team we would go on to cheer on for the next 90 minutes. Upon arriving at the stadium, I immediately sensed the energy, excitement, and passion that makes sporting events such a fantastic experience to be a part of. Despite the lack of a goal in the first half of the match, the Spanish team broke through in the second half en route to a 3-0 victory. With every goal scored allowed for my friends and I to break out in jubilation alongside thousands of others that were in attendance. The match was an experience that I will never forget for the rest of my lifetime.