For so long I’ve been itching to sit in the stands and watch a Portugal national team football match, it felt like a dream I’d love to make true but wasn’t likely to unless they played against England (and naturally I’d have to be patriotic for that particular game) on home soil.
After being dead set on a solo Lisbon trip this year, I originally planned to go in March during the international break to catch a home Portugal game, however things didn’t quite turn out the way I’d hoped and sadly the trip had to be put on hold. With hindsight, there was nothing sad about that, because everything worked out exactly as it should have.
Fast forward to July/August and I’d spotted another international break scheduled for October that had not only one, but two, home games in Lisbon. Naturally the seed was planted and I had to go, there were no two ways about it.
After booking my Airbnb and flights, I then jumped straight to looking for tickets for both games. After stumbling on Stubhub (controversial I know), I found tickets for the 2 matches for a really reasonable price of around 45 euro each including fees and secured them rapidly.
I won’t lie, right up to the moment I arrived at the stadium, I was panicking in case my ticket didn’t work. I knew I’d be refunded if that was the case, but I would have been heartbroken to stand outside and not have a ticket to get in, I most likely would have fallen victim to panic buying a last minute ticket from a tout outside for an extortionate amount. Thankfully I had zero issues with my tickets (although my ticket for the 2nd game was really late coming to me and I was stressed right up until the day of).
With a 7:46pm kick off, I headed out to grab a Metro to Alvalade and then walked my way over to Estádio José Alvalade. Alvalade is the metro stop before the stadium, however there is a closer one to the stadium, I just opted for Alvalade so I could have a 30 minute walk in case I had anxiety or nerves I needed to work out and get rid of.
I won’t lie, it was the most incredible experience, the fact that I almost had a panic attack the first time I went to a football match alone at the Etihad Stadium in January 2022 and was now attending a match alone in a foreign country that I hadn’t been to before, was a massively proud moment of mine. It didn’t feel real, but at the same time it felt like the most natural thing ever, I wasn’t anxious aside from the minor concern that the ticket might not scan.
I did realise how used to collecting programmes at games I have become because the absence of them at this game wounded me, I just love a souvenir! I did, however, get myself a Portugal cup from the bar, you pay a euro for it when getting a drink and can return it for your money back, but the cup (filled twice with alcohol free Sagres) was absolutely coming home with me.
The atmosphere was amazing, everyone was singing, waving flags (I want these introduced to English games please) and so thoroughly into it, but I didn’t feel out of place despite the language barrier (and the singing/chanting I couldn’t participate in). I definitely think it helped hearing a mix of accents and languages around me, it seems quite a few people had taken advantage of a holiday there to watch football.
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Watching Rúben Neves score on his first home national team game since his best friend passed away, wearing Diogo’s shirt number, was one hell of an experience, and then to see him celebrate such a massive personal goal right in front of me was next level.
I feel so enriched after those experiences and cannot recommend this enough to anyone who wants to do it, just because you’re solo travelling doesn’t mean you have to miss out on certain things, don’t be the one holding you back from experiences you want. Even 6 months ago this would have terrified me, but the day I went I had zero fear, it’s like it had just evaporated from my body.
Do the things you want, do the things you love, make those memories whilst you can.
I can’t wait to see where I go next!
S xo
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