Manchester United vs. Real Madrid: two of the best clubs in the World go head-to-head in the Big House. I am a born and raised Manchester United fan due to it being my Mother’s birthplace and a city I frequented throughout my childhood. I grew up hearing the chants for the greats, as we all joined in with ‘Glory, Glory, Man United’, shouting at the top of our lungs. Because of this, and my love of watching footie, I was beyond ecstatic when it was announced that Man U would be playing Real Madrid in none other than the Big House!Ticket in hand, surrounded by my family and thousands of other fans, all decked out in gear, showing their pride for their team; I couldn’t have been happier. 109,018 fans sitting in that stadium, making it the largest crowd in attendance for a soccer game in the USA to date. 

And this doesn’t surprise me. In the US, soccer is definitely gaining more popularity and people are starting to take it more seriously. This becomes very clear as you look back on the recent World Cup. Even as a loyal English woman, I still had to commend the U.S team on how far they got in the competition and the amount of support that their fans gave them.     

That’s how fans should be though, and Saturday in the Big House, when the excitement was tangible in the air, that is also how it should always be. As I looked around, fathers and mothers were teaching their children about the game and teaching them the cheers. A couple, divided in their loyalties between Man U and Real Madrid, still congratulated the other person when their team scored a goal and walked hand in hand out of that stadium despite the loss of one of their teams. The teams themselves, despite raised tensions, shook hands and clapped each other on the back when they fouled another player.

I have always said that you will find some of the most die-hard fans when it comes to soccer, but at the base of that is unification and loyalty. People are brought together, united in their love of the game and the support they have for those players on the field.

As Ronaldo warmed up along the sidelines, the crowd went ballistic. As Young hit goal after goal, with an ‘assistance’ from Rooney, the crowd went wild. After a penalty shot by Gareth Bale, Real Madrid fans screamed in joy. 

But everyone left that match feeling thrilled, buzzed, and happy to have been a part of something amazing.