Munich, July 3 (Xinhua) -- On July 2, at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Romania lost 0:3 to the Netherlands in the quarterfinals of the 2024 European Football Championship. The Dutch fans had left the stadium after the game, but the Romanian fan zone on one side of the pitch was still bustling with fans chanting slogans and cheering on the frustrated players. With tears in their eyes, the players stood for a long time and did not want to leave......
As an inconspicuous small role in the European football map, the "Yellow Rose Army" can only play the role of "accompanying the prince to study" most of the time. Most of the players play in the lower leagues of Europe, and the exposure is not high.
However, not to disappoint the fans is the firm belief of the Romanian team.
Romanian coach Yordnescu told Xinhua News Agency after the game that there is a special bond between the team and the fans, the Romanian team was absent from the last European Championships, and the fans have been firmly supporting the team for eight years, giving them great support, which is the source of strength for the team. "We are back in the European Championships, the fans are always behind us, the whole of Romania is praying for us and crying for us," he said. Hopefully, we will never forget these moments. ”
Coincidentally, in another quarter-final a few days ago, Georgia was forced out of the tournament by Spain with a one-goal lead. Although the game was lost, the support of the Georgian fans was touching throughout the stadium.
Before the game, Georgian fans held up banners reading "BELIEVE" in the stands, and for a country with a population of less than 4 million and a first-time European Championship player, advancing to the quarterfinals was far beyond expectations. The Georgian fans in the stadium watched the game almost standing up, singing loudly and cheering for every successful defense, every counter-attack, every pass.
When the Georgian team took the lead in breaking the deadlock in the 18th minute, the camera was focused on the stands, and many fans were already unable to contain themselves and cried with joy. As the lowest-ranked team in the world in this European Championship, the "12th man" is their strongest support after defeating Portugal and leading Spain for a while.
On July 2, the Georgian team returned home after the match, and thousands of fans poured into the streets of the capital, Tbilisi, to cheer on their hero. Georgian President Zurabishvili spoke: "Today is a miracle, this is what I want Georgia." "We had an unforgettable journey in Germany, we showed our character, we fulfilled our mission, and the Georgian people can be proud of us," said the team's midfielder George Kocholashvili. ”
The quadrennial European Championships, the feast of the giants is certainly exciting, but in addition to the big teams with many fans, many unknown teams also have their own highlight moments, maybe their bloom is short-lived, maybe the followers are limited, but there are always moments to be recorded, and there are always applause for them.