For That Touch of Pure White in My Heart: Watching a Match at Real Madrid's Home Ground
The main reason for my trip to Spain was to watch a Real Madrid football match live. First, because I'm a Real Madrid fan, and second, because I've always been interested in European football culture and wanted to experience the intense atmosphere in person. The Real Madrid home ground was definitely the best choice. And as this trip happened to allow me to watch a match live, I didn't hesitate to head to Madrid. La Liga, Real Madrid vs. Rayo Vallecano, here I come! That day, I had no heart to arrange anything else. I went to the Santiago Bernabéu early to check out the area, and I could already see vendors setting up stalls around the stadium. I found a mall nearby to kill some time, had a coffee, and finally waited until it was about time. The match was at 9:30 PM, about a ten-minute drive away, so at 6:30 PM, I set off!
Finally, the moment arrived! I arrived three hours early to soak in the intense football atmosphere. No matter how prepared I was, I was still shocked by the scene: driving to the stadium two hours early, there were no parking spaces nearby. After circling several times, I had to park in an underground garage in a neighborhood a ten-minute walk away. Along the road to the stadium, fans wearing Real Madrid jerseys were everywhere, singing loudly. The bars around the stadium were already packed with fans chatting over drinks. On one side of the main avenue in front of the stadium were brightly lit stalls full of Real Madrid memorabilia. On the square and avenue in front of the stadium were passionate fans and relaxed mounted police. What struck me most was when the away team's fans, under the protection of fully armed police, marched into the stadium early, singing just as loudly... Real Madrid—the 20th Century Best Club selected by FIFA, the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Venue of four UEFA Champions League finals, one European Championship final, and one World Cup final. I believe every football fan around the world dreams of watching a match live at the Bernabéu, especially Chinese fans from a country where football is relatively underdeveloped.
Entering the stadium, I had no trouble with my membership card. The security guard scanned it and let me in. Passing through the corridor where fans were queuing for beer and snacks, I reached the entrance to the stands. The first sight took my breath away: a professional football stadium that can hold 80,000 spectators, with no running track, offering a wide and comfortable view. And as a membership card holder, I was assigned a seat in the tenth row, close enough to clearly see the players warming up before the match. The singing before, during, and after the match stirred the blood of 80,000 people. Every tackle and charge from the players elicited thunderous groans and screams. Immersed in this scene, the match itself became secondary; football culture was the main event. I threw myself into it, shouting, going wild. Holding a Real Madrid scarf and a Guoan scarf, I chatted with the local Real Madrid members despite the language barrier, took photos, and became a highlight myself. Great stadium! Great club!
Staying for that pure white of the Bernabéu, fearless and loyal. And I hope that the declining Guoan can revive its glory; I hope to see the beautiful football culture reappear in my homeland; I hope...
