Euro 2025 by Mireille Manzella

This summer I traveled to the Alps with my best friend and sister for the Euros. We had tickets to see Norway vs Finland, Sweden vs Denmark, Portugal vs Italy, and Switzerland vs Finland. As Americans, we had little stake in a specific team, but our dedication to the sport was unwavering. Each match brought new excitement, new players to obsess over. We quickly learned from seeing Finland play the first that Oona Seveninus was a player to watch (and yes her name works as the perfect parody of Stina Blackstenius’s Arsenal song). After the Switzerland vs Finland match, where we got to witness the epic fans of the host nation in full force, we ended up on the train with a Finnish player’s mom and partner. Funnily enough, Elli Pikkujämsä played for Racing Louisville, and as NWSL stans, we were gooped and gagged. Her mom even gave us her big head cutout, which we still have today.

I think there’s something to be said for enjoying a tournament where the team that your mental health is contingent on isn’t playing. Whether we were in Geneva, Sion, or collapsing on the couch after a hike to watch a game on TV, each match brought pure entertainment and no stress. Witnessing the camaraderie and community that women’s sports creates, while keenly aware that you are apart of a history defining moment, is not a moment I will ever forget. It truly was a trip of lifetime.