It is time for the 2024 Olympic Games, and as such, all eyes are on Paris, where the world’s greatest athletes compete for glory in all manner of diverse sporting events. This includes soccer.
For certain readers of ours with longstanding preconceptions of what constitutes an exciting and entertaining sport and no such love towards association football (read: Americans), allow me to explain.
Soccer is the single most popular sport in the world, known almost everywhere outside the US as football (why Sky Sports decided to call their longstanding sports program Soccer Saturday is a mystery even to me).
It consists of teams of 11 people on a large field (or rather, a pitch), who try to maintain control of a ball primarily using their feet. This includes keeping the ball away from the opposing team and scoring the ball in their goal.
It’s a long game, with often low scoring and minimal contact – and it can often end in a tie. So, it never really caught on in the US. Outside of the land of the Stars and Stripes, however, soccer is hugely popular, and games can be some of the most watched events around the world.
It is also one of the games being played at the Olympics. But while Paris is currently dominating all things sports, there are a host of other cities in Europe that are great places to go watch soccer – if you’re interested, of course. And if you’re not interested in soccer (and are probably American – let’s be honest here), try watching Ted Lasso on Apple TV+ and familiarize yourself with the game.
And so, without further ado, here are some of the best cities in Europe to visit if your GOALLLLLLL is to watch soccer live.
Milan, Italy
When it comes to watching soccer, there are a few things to take into account. The atmosphere of the fans and the size of the stadium are two of these factors.
And Milan has both in spades.
San Siro is one of Europe’s single largest stadiums, and the dedicated fans of A.C. Milan provide an unforgettable atmosphere.
Many people go their whole lives without experiencing a packed San Siro with throngs of fans 100% invested in a match with A.C. Milan and perennial rivals Inter Milan in the Derby Della Madonnina. But by all accounts, its an intoxicating atmosphere to rival some of the most intense US sporting events.
Turin, Italy
Staying in Italy for a bit, you may be asking yourself, why Turin?
Let’s be blunt here. As a city, Turin is nothing special. Sure, it has a long history, was a major political and business center and continues to be so today. But it pales in comparison to some of the other more famous Italian cities.
But Turin has one thing over any other city in Italy, and that’s sports.
Turin is home to Torino and Juventus, two very popular soccer teams. Torino is arguably more popular within Turin itself. But Juventus is one of the most popular and successful teams in the world.
Its fanbase spans entire continents, and the team has been the home of some of the greatest players of all time.
With such a dedicated fanbase and an incredible atmosphere, especially when Torino and Juventus play each other in the Derby della Mole, Turin is certainly an unforgettable European destination for any serious soccer fans.
Munich, Germany
What Juventus is for Italy, Bayern Munich is for Germany.
The most dominant team in Germany and one of the most popular teams around the world, Bayern makes its home in Munich, and the soccer atmosphere in the city is as big as the team itself.
If you’re interested in watching soccer, Munich is arguably the place to be. Not just for the game itself, but for the aftermath: Bars in Munich will be veritable parties after every game, should there be a reason to celebrate. And that’s an incredible atmosphere in its own right.
Madrid, Spain
Barcelona often gets a lot of the attention when it comes to Spanish soccer. And for good reason – FC Barcelona is an incredibly successful and popular team, with a beautiful stadium and an energizing fanbase. The team is also one of the most financially successful in the world, beating out Bayern Munich.
But they’re still runner-ups when it comes to Madrid.
The Spanish capital is home to Real Madrid, a team that dominates all of Europe.
Domestically, they have never been relegated to a lower league (to put that in American sports’ terms, that would be like if an entire team was sent down to the minor leagues – a fate that regularly occurs in European soccer leagues) and regularly dominate rankings of best teams of all time. Even FIFA recognized them as the best team of the 20th century.
When it comes to players, Real Madrid has them too, boasting their own collection of incredible athletes.
In recent years, the most notable player they had on the roster was Cristiano Ronaldo, widely considered one of the best players of all time.
In the past, when Ronaldo and Real Madrid would go up against historic rivals FC Barcelona and their own star, Ronaldo’s career rival of Lionel Messi, it could feel like watching history itself.
Neither Ronaldo nor Messi are with those teams anymore, but the Madrid-Barcelona rivalry, whose matches are known as El Clasico, are still incredible events to watch.
Manchester, United Kingdom
Honestly, was there ever any doubt?
Sure, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona have a larger following. And sure, those two teams may be more dominant internationally. And sure, England regularly loses in international soccer tournaments compared to other European countries.
But none of that matters. For hundreds of millions of people around the world, soccer will be most associated with the most popular and successful sports league in the world: The English Premier League. And no city dominates this league more than Manchester.
Manchester has been a major soccer center for well over a century. It is home to two teams, Manchester City and Manchester United, both of whom essentially split the city and surrounding area practically in half.
Both teams have also been very successful and regularly are in the conversation for the most dominant teams in the Premier League. And currently, Manchester City is the top of the whole league, having won the championship four times in a row and 10 times overall.
But Manchester United is arguably the league’s most successful team of all time, having won the Premier League 20 times and always remaining a dominant force.
Of course, Manchester also is infamous for its fanbase, with violent hooliganism having long been a stereotypical occurrence throughout the UK. While much of that isn’t nearly as prevalent nowadays, it does still speak to the sheer energy of the devoted fans in the city. Watching a game here is an unforgettable experience.
