Football or Football?

I went to two different football games this week. The first was American football and the second was what we in the States would call Soccer. Both were fun.

One of flatmates was able to get tickets to the Chargers v Saints International Series game on Sunday 26 October at Wembley Stadium because her dad works for the Chargers. It was very exciting as I have ever been to a real professional football game. I was surprised at the number of Europeans there, but they were well represented. I enjoyed the game. I was rooting for the Chargers because they are as close to a home town team as I will get and I got the tickets through connections at the Chargers. In the end they lost. After the game, we waited for the crowd to clear before heading to the tube station. It was amazing to see such a mass of people all going in one direction. It is like the line of cars trying to leave a concert, but people instead.

The following Wednesday (29 Oct) I went to a football game that is commonly referred to soccer in the States. We went to Craven's Cottage, home of the Fulham Football Club. Fulham is the next borough over, so that is our home team. Apparently Fulham and Wigan, the opposing team, are the two worst teams in the league and bitter rivals. I was warned that a fight might break out. Sadly it did not happen. The game was fantiatic. Partly because of the fans. It was a Wednesday night and was nearing freezing (as in zero Celsius) but the place was packed. There was lots of chanting and it is hard not to get sweep in the excitement when the home teams scores. Football jumped close to the top of my list of favorite sports (not as high as motorsports, put it is up there). Clearly I was born in the wrong country. When we got there, my flatmate tried to buy a beer as one does at a sporting event but learned alcohol was only served at halftime. So you only have 15 minutes to buy your alcohol. I guess it keeps the crowd from turning into a drunken brawl, but there were a lot of police there to keep the peace just in case.

I may not start playing football, but I will certainly try to watch it once I return home.

Until we meet again,

-Maggie the traveler