Last weekend, while attending my first European football (a.k.a. soccer) match, I was forced to wonder: Why isn't soccer more popular in the U.S.?
The game was super interesting. Even though there is a level of intricacies to following soccer that I have absolutely no comprehension of, the game itself was relatively easy to follow. And, unlike American football, play stops only for injuries so there was action from start to finish.
Lucky for me, this was an important match for FC Köln, the home team. They had to beat rival TSG Hoffenheim in order to move up to Germany's first league.* The RheinEnergie Stadium was sold-out, hosting 50,000 spectators.
The best part of the match was the crowd. I've gone to other sporting events in Cologne, so I knew that the city is home to some dedicated fans. They sing, cheered, beat drums, and waved flags and scarves. At this match, their enthusiasm had me on my feet cheering like a local.
* The German Nation League, the Bundesliga, is divided into two tiers. In order to play in the first league, a team must win a certain number of games per season.
About Me
- Erin
- Ridgewood, NJ, United States
- In the fall of 2007 my husband and I moved to Germany. After more than a year of traveling, eating, and living abroad, we were transferred back to the states. At the time of our return, I was 34 weeks pregnant. This is a true account of our re-assimilation, reverse culture shock, and impending adventure into parenthood.
A Southern Something
I don't think there are quite enough sausages in the South to maintain the "Wurst of the Week." Instead, I am replacing this sidebar feature with "A Southern Something." To start, I'd like to introduce you to chow chow. A pickled relish, chow chow can be made from any number of vegetables, including cabbage, onions, or green tomatoes.
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4 comments:
Hi Erin! I saw your comment at J's blog and wanted to pop over and welcome you to Germany. There are a ton of expats out there and a lot of them live in your area.
Thanks! I can't believe the number of expat bloggers out there. I am so happy to feel like I'm part of a community. And, I have so much reading to look forward to.
Hi! I saw you over on J's blog too and I wanted to say hi as well. I've been living in Magdeburg for the past 10 years with my Germany husband. Welcome and I hope you enjoy living in Germany!
I'm so glad you enjoyed the FC Köln game so much. Living in Germany has turned me into a full-time Fussball nut - I'm a diehard FC Bayern-München fan!
Another 'football' fan here! Even though my team is Bayer Leverkusen, I've been to the Cologne stadiu and think that the atmosphere is fantastic.
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