As a sports commentator and football lover since childhood, Hoang Duc Anh (Hanoi) always had a desire to conquer. He made his dream come true when he visited some of the biggest club stadiums in Europe during a nearly month-long exploration trip.
Memorable incident
Planning a detailed trip from the beginning of 2024, Duc Anh also created a personal training tracking chart. Two months before the trip, he actively trained to improve his endurance. Every day he ran 5km, and as the trip got closer, his achievements gradually increased to 10km.
The male traveler's luggage is fixed in a 28-inch suitcase and a backpack that can withstand up to 15kg of clothes for 15 days, suitable for all types of weather, basic medicine, dry food, personal hygiene items as well as the most compact filming and photography equipment.
Despite his busy schedule, Duc Anh set himself 3 principles to follow, including: Eat enough meals, on time; sleep at least 6 hours/day and drink enough 2 liters of water/day. Only on the days he flew from Ireland to England, the temperature difference, cold weather and heavy rain made the male tourist a bit tired.
He said: “During my days in Europe, I was lucky not to miss any trains or planes. However, with my specific schedule down to the hour, I also calculated a backup plan. On days when the train was delayed, I even had to cut out points in the itinerary or filming targets to catch the next flight.”
However, the biggest problem that Duc Anh encountered during the trip was his suitcase "disappearing without a trace". After "saying goodbye" to Diego Armando Maradona Stadium (Napoli, Italy) and checking in with the mural of the late legendary player Maradona, he dragged his suitcase onto the train. However, this time, he was careless and did not use the lock as usual, so he lost his suitcase.
“It took more than an hour to get from Napoli station to Rome, and the train didn’t stop anywhere. After putting my suitcase in the luggage compartment, I went straight back to my seat without locking it. And that was it! When I arrived at Rome station, my suitcase was gone. I didn’t feel sorry for my clothes or personal belongings, but all the gifts for my friends and relatives were gone,” the male tourist shared.
He concluded his experience: “I have gained a “basket of wisdom”. And being careful is never too much. Saying goodbye to Italy with an unhappy memory but I will definitely come back”.
A satisfying trip
Putting aside the unfortunate events, for Duc Anh, this was still a satisfying trip. He set foot in 7 stadiums that he had always dreamed of: Wembley (Wembley, England), Stade de France (Saint-Denis, France) and Santiago Bernabeu (Madrid, Spain). These are the places where big matches are held.
The male tourist also had the opportunity to visit Old Trafford, Anfield - the two largest club stadiums in England; San Siro - home of AC Milan and Inter Milan associated with the famous Milan Derby. Finally, the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany - the stadium where Duc Anh participated in commentating the most football matches.
While the Santiago Bernabeu stadium impressed the male tourist with its interior facilities as well as amenities and services, the Allianz Arena stadium was likened to a giant pontoon boat. The San Siro stadium exudes an ancient look like a fortress over a hundred years old.
To visit Old Trafford, he chose to buy a ticket to watch the match between Manchester United and Liverpool live. The male tourist was overwhelmed by the bustling atmosphere that day in Manchester.
He recalled: “While travelling on the train, I opened my phone to check the route. An elderly fan saw this and told me to put it away: “Don’t you see, everyone on this train is going to Old Trafford”.
Afterwards, the fans sang loudly and enthusiastically on the bus. They got off one stop early to walk together to the stadium. That day, the home team lost 0-3, the fans were extremely disappointed but the stands were full.
He planned to leave the stadium five minutes early because he was afraid of traffic and wanted to visit the club's official souvenir shop. "To my surprise, the shop was closed and the security guard said to me: 'Enjoy the rest of the game, man. We don't open the shop during the match because that time belongs to football,'" the tourist said.
Tüpraş Stadyumu Stadium was the last stop on the male tourist's itinerary in Istanbul, Turkey. It was also one of the stadiums that was not on the original itinerary. When he arrived in Türkiye, he booked a tour through an airline so he had to travel with a group.
Unexpectedly, the group's final stop was Dolmabahçe Palace, located opposite Tüpraş Stadyumu, the home stadium of the Besiktas football team. After a quick snack and a brief chat with the tour guide, the male tourist took the opportunity to walk around the stadium and take photos and videos as souvenirs.
Besides making an effort to set foot in world-famous stadiums, Duc Anh also spends his little free time visiting famous landmarks in the cities he visits and trying to enjoy local cuisine.
The total cost of the male tourist's trip was 170 million VND. Looking back, he went to all the places he wanted to go and made many friends with similar interests everywhere. Thanks to this memorable experience, he continued to plan another trip, exploring famous stadiums in South America for 2025.
