I can’t even begin to explain how excited I was to get to see my first European football match in Prague.  Bad scheduling luck on past trips kept me from seeing PSG in Paris or Inter or AC Milan in Italy.  I’ve also had a whole host of missed opportunities in Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands.  This trip finally delivered.  My first match was AC Sparta Praha playing FC Baník Ostrava.

Best. Cultural. Experience. Ever!  Can you tell how excited I am from the picture below?

I’ve been to my share of sporting events and each and every one holds a special place in my heart.  The only Nordiques game I got to with my Dad, my first Monday Night Football game, sitting in the upper deck for a San Francisco Giants game watching boats out in the bay, a Canada-USA world championship hockey game – all awesome!   And all surpassed by this soccer game in Prague.  Why?

Heavily armed riot police in the subway station and on the walk to the stadium?  Oh yes!  I didn’t get photos of it, but a supporters website sure did.  And people think it’s rough going to a Philadelphia Eagles game…

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