Achi news desk-
It’s one of the only sports on the planet with two different names depending on which side of the pond you’re from.
Although, whether you call it soccer or football, this June will be a fantasy month for soccer fans across Canada and the world.
The Euro Cup has now got off to a good start with Germany beating Scotland, 5-1, and for the next four weeks, Europe’s best football players will be hitting the pitch.
Then, on June 20th, Canadians will come together when the Canadian men’s team closes out the Copa America Tournament against Lionel Messi and the World Cup Champions, Argentina.
With football madness kicking off this week, fans are making a pilgrimage to watering holes across the country to celebrate the beautiful game.
In downtown Toronto’s Scotland Yard pub, allegiances were made clear for game one of the European tournament.
Sitting down with his first pint two hours before kick-off, Chris Smith, who moved to Canada two months ago from Edinburgh, Scotland, admitted that while his home country may not be the favourites, football is still is a “religion” in Scotland, and fans are “passionate about our country and our team.”
In a country as culturally diverse as Canada, that passion is shared from coast to coast to coast.
This Euro Cup is being held on German soil and the desire to win at home burns deep for fans cheering on Deutschland.
“This is huge if we win this on our own turf; we had to bring this home” shared German fan Joe Maynard, who spoke to CTV News while taking a bite of his bratwurst at popular Toronto bar and restaurant Wvrst.
Twenty-four countries will take the field during this edition of the Euro Cup, including Ukraine, for whom the Euro Cup is about more than just football glory; it’s an escape.
Although the hard truth is that 23 nations will be sent packing at some point, and only one will lift the cup and reign supreme. Football fans, like almost all sports fans, endure the agony in the pursuit of football glory.
When it comes to favourites, many choose the host nation Germany. Other top nations with the best odds to win include France, Portugal, Spain and England, who lost in the last Euro Cup finals in 2020.
Considering who could win it all, football journalist John Molinaro, like many, does his best to predict the winner of a tournament with an established history of dark horses.
“Germany, they are certainly going to be considered one of the favourites” said Molinaro. “I know England; every time there is a big tournament, their fans expect them to do well. I really think this could be the year they finally break through.”
It will indeed be a wild ride. With football fans, football once again takes its rightful place in the center of the sports world to start the summer.
