Lisbon- the location of the best birthday ever?

If you’ve read any of my previous blogs you’ll have realised that the main focus of my travels has always been food, but this time is a little different. The main focus is one of the other great loves of my life: football! After eating my way through Lisbon last summer, I returned to watch my team compete in the Women’s champions league final!

A bit of background- I grew up playing football and spent most of my academy career at Arsenal where, for five years, I had countless experiences here and abroad, creating memories which I cherish and, more importantly, played a large role in shaping my personality. I’ll be honest, while I was playing, I wasn’t too fussed about watching football. But I did love going to games at Meadow Park where sometimes I was a mascot. Being able to meet my heroes was incredible and I always feel pretty smug when I tell people that I once walked out hand in hand with Kim Little (one of, if not the, biggest arsenal legends) and Ellen White.

We booked the trip pretty spontaneously after I managed to secure four tickets to the final about five minutes after the game vs Lyon had finished, when a convincing 4-1 win booked our place! At one point it was looking pretty likely that we wouldn’t be going. Flights to Lisbon were getting more and more expensive, with the one of the morning of the final selling out pretty soon after the semi-final game. But after some crucial research from the chief travel co-ordinator (also known as my mum) we found a way!

We ended up flying to Faro instead and then staying in a place called Setubal, a town an hours train ride from Lisbon. It was a beautiful, quaint place which at the time was also hosting a flower festival in the main green space in the centre of town. The park was lined with vibrant flower stalls selling arrays of beautiful bouquets. We also visited an old monastery which, after a hot climb to reach it, had great views of Setubal and, most importantly, had a bar. We soaked up the views and enjoyed a cold bottle of Superbok- exactly what we needed!

Despite football being the main focus this weekend, good food and coffee obviously featured! We ate at Barriga de Freira Restaurant in Setubal on the Friday. It was a stunning place, located inside the The Convent of Jesus. We were greeted with some starter-type dishes as we sat down, consisting of some bread with a delicious, mild soft cheese and a chorizo-style cured meat which was soft and melted in the mouth. I was once again glad to be in the presence of three non-fish eaters as it meant that the delicious prawn and tuna pastries were all mine! I enjoyed a version of the famous dessert bearing the same name of the restaurant which luckily had no similarities to its meaning (the nun’s belly!). It was similar to a frangipane, made with ground almonds, sugar and egg yolk, but had a smoother consistency and paired beautifully with an espresso. I went to sleep that feeling content after a lovely meal, and excited for the main event the next day.

Arriving into the centre of Lisbon on the Saturday morning and seeing the fans already wandering around the city and soaking up the atmosphere in the fan park was such a cool sight. There’s something so special about women’s football in particular with the atmosphere at these type of games. This is a final and the pinnacle of European football- tensions and nerves are high and each set of fans are desperate for their teams to take home the glory. The rivalry is there- but there is also a lot of respect for each other too. Lisbon was expectedly full of fans on the day of the final, with the majority being Barca fans. But there was not a single point in which I ever felt unsafe or uncomfortable being an Arsenal fan in that environment. Not even on the metro on the way to the game in which my family were the only arsenal fans in the carriage and with a young Barcelona fan leading the ‘Dia de partit’ chant right in front of us. I even joked with some of the Barca fans, asking one if she wanted to swap her Barca flag for my arsenal one, in which she replied that if she did would add it to her other Real Madrid flags she had at home.

Then it was time for what we’d all been waiting for, as the referee blew the whistle to kick-off the biggest game of the season. 38,000 fans were packed into Estadio Jose Alvalade watching the top two teams go at it , marvelling at the technical ability on show and feeding off the passion and determination displayed by the players. Arsenal fans were cheering for Foord’s last ditch sliding tackle, Williamson effortlessly taking the ball off Pajor’s foot and when the ball was safely in Van Domselaar’s grasp. Then in the seventy fourth minute, just seven minutes after both the players came on, Mead’s pass found Blackstenius in the box, who slotted it home into the bottom left corner, causing the insanely loud roar of the Arsenal fans in the corner of the stadium (in the most important moment of all, she wasn’t offside!!). The feeling of joy and jubilation was matched only by the sensations of pure nerves that followed while watching and hoping that the lead could be kept after waves of pressure from Barcelona. Just thirteen minutes of defending and gamesmanship and we’d be European champions. Could we keep our nerve? Could we actually do it?

When the final whistle blew there was a mix of disbelief and euphoria. If I’m being completely honest, I knew Arsenal could win, but I didn’t think they would. Barca are arguably the best team in the world and boasting two double ballon d’or winners in your starting eleven, alongside other top players in the world, means that the expectation was on them to lift the trophy. But after eighteen years, Arsenal were champions of Europe again, and that feels pretty nice to be able to say!

Leaving the stadium, there was no taunting from arsenal fans- celebrations, yes, but no bragging. There was no anger from the Barca fans, upset yes, but no anger. And I think everyone there that day, no matter what team you were a fan of, could feel the excitement of experiencing the spectacle that it was- seeing the further growth of the women’s game and it getting the attention it deserves. There's still a long way to go, but compared to the 900 fans at the semi-finals against Wolfsburg years ago at the match I was a mascot, the progress is there for anyone to see. And if you don’t want to come along for the ride and embrace the excellence women’s sport has to offer then I honestly feel sad for you more than anything else. Because women’s sport, and football, is fucking brilliant and to miss out on it is your own loss. It’s not going anywhere, we’ll continue to show up as fans and spectators and help build the game we love even more!

p.s. special mention to Vilde Boe Risa, the Athletico and Norway player who we met randomly while waiting for a table at a bar and was happy to chat away to rando in the queue! It was super cool to chat to a professional player and I’m very happy that her prediction of Barca being the winning team didn’t come true in the end!