The Champions!

1.11.2011

Ce sont les meilleure equipes
Es sind sie allerbesten mannschaften
The main event
Die meister
Die besten
Les grande equips
The champions!
Une grande reunion
Eine grosse sportliche veranstaltung
The main event
Ils sont les meilleurs
Sie sind die besten
These are the champions
Die Meister
Die Besten
Les grandes equipes
The champions!

I didn't realize until now that the UEFA Champions League theme song not only has lyrics, but they're also in 3 different languages!



Every football fan should get shivers when they hear this song. I remember pretending that I've won the Champions League by lifting up my sister's biggest wrestling trophy and singing that song. But then the song was only;

'tii tii The Champions!' repeat 3x

Next time I can try singing the whole song. These are the moments when you feel that many years of learning German and French didn't go to waste.

The year in Holland was all about gigs, so I thought my stay in England would be all about football. In fact I imagined myself not really being into music as much as I would be into football. What a stupid thought, especially when I came here to do my internship at a music company. This just proves that people do get wiser as they grow old.

It took me two months to see my first football match here, you might think that it isn't a long time, but it is when you try for so long to get yourself a ticket. It's surprisingly hard, when you don't have a club membership. But thanks to my friend David and to his friend, who both have Arsenal memberships that we were able to book a couple of tickets then. For that moment I had to pretend to be a Hungarian called Robert.

jenkinson the finnish player

The game wasn't just any game. It was a Champions League game. One of my dreams came true, when I heard that theme song live really loud through massive speakers. I had a feeling that I'd need to stand up, when they'd start to play it, just like during a national anthem. And in the end it was really normal for people to stand up, all of us did; for the national anthem of all football fans, no matter from which country. Apparently it's also really normal for people to get teary eyes when they hear it. Especially for the first time.



The game between the English and French ended 0-0, and there weren't many opportunities, but I'm glad to have seen Arsene Wenger, who I consider to be one of the best managers. Also saw former Liverpool player Benayoun, though he was on the bench. Then players like Arshavin, Rosicky and of course van Persie. Some fans say; 'God is a Dutch man' That's how much the new Arsenal captain is loved.

For me the best Champions League moment will forever be The Miracle in Istanbul. My team winning the competition for the 5th time after the most dramatic game ever. And I'm not saying this only because it was my team, but it truly was the match of all time. Whoever disagrees, PFF you. That's when another dream came true; finally I got to see Liverpool lifting the trophy in the TV match intro.