World Cup Soccer 2006 in Germany
The World Cup Men’s Soccer took place in 12 stadiums in Germany from June 9 to July 9, 2006.
Rachel flew over from Boston and we spent a wonderful time, first trailing the US Team (lost in the group phase) and then the German Team who made it to third place. We went to Nuremberg (US against Ghana), Berlin, Hamburg and Dortmund.
The weather was great all four weeks, people were friendly and full of energy. Rachel kept saying: 'Where are all those beautiful nice Germans coming from?' We had never before experienced Germany so open, so diverse and so happy.
That is why I decided to become a volunteer for the EURO2024, the men’s European Soccer Championship in the host city of Dortmund.
I became a Host City Welcome and Info Volunteer. My assignments were in the info center of Dortmund, in the Public Viewing areas, in the main train station and during the fan marches from the city to the stadium.
EURO2024 in Germany
Saturday, April 27
There was a big power presentation showing the fan zones, presenting the volunteer management team, explaining the various volunteer groups and their tasks, introducing the nations playing in the Dortmund stadium.
Athletes were present to talk about their great experiences with volunteers and how it had helped them performing in their sports.
It really was a great welcome show for us volunteers and it made me feel good that I had decided to participate.
Volunteer Kickoff Party – Helmut-Körnig-Halle near BVB Stadium with a tour of the stadium afterwards
Wednesday, June 5
I picked up my accreditation at the Volunteer Center Westfalenhallen. It was available because of a clean bill from the German Federal Office of Criminal Investigation, yeah!!
I also picked up my uniform, there had been a fitting a few month before. All clothes and the sneakers were from Adidas, it was a lot, 2 pair of long pants, 2 pair of shorts, 5 shirts, one raincoat, one jacket, one backpack, all in nice green colors with EURO2024 logos.
Friday, June 7
There was a day-long In-person Training in the Dietrich-Keuninghaus Dortmund and another opportunity to get to know some of my fellow volunteers.
In the evening there was a Get-together with the Mayor in City Hall Dortmund and we all got a Albärt (the EURO2024 mascot) stuffed animal as a present. I take him everywhere now.
Tuesday, June 11
We got a tour through the Radisson Blue hotel near the stadium. This is where usually the guest team stays during regular football season. Now the different national teams would be hosted there.
A whole floor was reserved from them, we got to see the coach’s suite, exercise rooms, meeting rooms.
Later I went to see the ‚In-motion‘ exhibition at the German Football Museum, right across from the main train station in Dortmund.
21 beamers, 45 loud speakers and 110 spotlights, large-scale projection areas and a three dimensional sound system show the interconnection between 20th-century European art and football. More than 100 works of art from national and international collections are shown, each nation participating in the EURO 2024 is represented by at least one artist. This show is well worth ist trip.
Thursday, June 13
I participated in a Dortmund City Tour. I know Dortmund quite a bit but I thought I could learn more which I can then pass on to our visiting football fans. We mostly stayed around the Dortmund U area.
The U-Tower or Dortmunder U is a former brewery building for the Dortmunder Union Bier. It was the first high-rise built (70 meters) in Dortmund, between 1926 and 1927.
Since 2010 it has opened as a centre for the arts and creativity, housing among other facilities the Museum Ostwall on floors 4,5 and 6. It has seven floors altogether and a roof terrace with a great view of Dortmund. There is a restaurant, a cinema, a Museum shop and on the first floor there are offices for the Dortmund universities. The sixth floor is for temporary exhibitions.
Friday, June 14
Finally the Euro2024 started with the Opening Game in the group stage - Germany against Scotland in Munich. I stayed in the Dortmund youth hostel during the tournament and some Scottish fans stayed there as well, they were full of hope and songs that their team would win this game. Unfortunately they lost 1:5 to Germany but their singing never stopped.
For this game I was working as a mobile volunteer around the public viewing area at the Friedensplatz. We helped people getting around the city and actually got some people a place to sleep after the game.
Saturday, June 15
Today the games started at the Dortmund stadium. It was Italy against Albania in the group stage, both of them in group B with Spain and Croatia, a tough group.
My assignment was as a mobile volunteer around Friedensplatz Public Viewing and helping with the fan marches from the city to the stadium. Dortmund had laid down a green carpet all the way from the main train station to the stadium. So fans just needed to follow the path.
Both nations, Italy and Albania, had registered marches for their fans. The Albanians were lots of fun, dancing all the way, men dressed with their white felt skull cap, the Qeleshe. Even though Albania is quite a long way away from Dortmund, there were many families excited to see the games. This was only the second time that Albania had reached the European Championship.
Unfortunately they lost 2:1 against Italy
Sunday, June 16
My assignment today was as support in the main train station in Dortmund to get fans to their trains to the host cities in North-Rhine-Westfalia.
There were a lot of English fans staying in Dortmund, but their team was playing this day in Gelsenkirchen against Serbia, high-risk game actually for all the police units around.
So we made sure the fans took the right trains to the Gelsenkirchen stadium, actually not a long ride, 30 km, about half an hour. But DB (Deutsche Bahn) did not supply enough trains, so it took most fans a long time to get into the stadium and then back out to their various hotels. The crowd was not happy.
But England won the game 1:0, so that heightened the mood quite a bit and specifically the English fans consumed a lot of the good German beer to celebrate.
Monday June 17
Day off – A visit in the botanical garden and the zoo in Dortmund
Tuesday, June 18
Today I was a mobile Volunteer again in the pedestrian zone of Dortmund. There fans of the Türkish team gathered for the fan march to the stadium where the second game of the group stage took place.
Unfortunately it rained a lot, so fans stormed into the public viewing areas which were closed shortly after opening because of overcrowding.
Türkiye won against Georgia 3:1.
The Georgian fans did not mind and just had a great time.
Wednesday, June 19
Today my shift was in the Westfalen Park Public Viewing area, totally full because the second game in the group stage for the German team was on. It was played in the Stuttgart stadium:
Germany against Hungary 2:0, big win for Germany, because now it was sure they would go on to the next knock-out phase of the Round of 16. They just had to play a tie in the third game.
Saturday, June 22
The third group stage game in Dortmund – Türkiye against Portugal.
Super fan march with the Turkish fans. I was mobile volunteer again. Unfortunately I was wearing those new sneakers, we got from the Adidas supplier. I should have walked in them before, but today I just got blisters and lots of pain while walking.
The Turkish fans were so sure of a win but it was not happening.
They lost 0:3 against Portugal even though their team played a great game but difficult against the famous Christiano Ronaldo and his team.
Tuesday, June 25
I had moved out of the youth hostel and into a nice vacation apartment in Bad Sassendorf. I only had two assignments this week and the apartment was a bit more comfortable for my old bones.
Bad Sassendorf is only a short train trip away from Dortmund.
Today was the fourth and last group stage game in Dortmund –
France against Poland
There was a great French Fan March and my assignment was as a mobile Volunteer again.
The game tied 1:1, so both teams were happy.
Saturday, June 29
Today started the round of 16 and with that the knock-out phase:
Germany, Denmark, Spain, Georgia, Portugal, Slovenia, France, Belgium, Rumania, Netherland, Austria, Türkiye, Switzerland, Italy, England and Slovakia.
The first game - Germany against Denmark in Dortmund
My assigment was to be near the Info Center downtown. Again there was lots of rain but it didn’t really kill the fun. We did lots of face paintings with the two flags.
Germany won 2:0 and everybody saw the team in the finale already.
Unfortunately on July 5th, the German Team lost in the quarter final 1:2 against Spain, playing in the host city Stuttgart.
Wednesday, July 10
I moved from Bad Sassendorf back to Hotel Engelbert in Iserlohn. I only had one more shift to do, that was the semi finale Netherland against England.
I was again assigned as a mobile Volunteer in Dortmund. The Dutch team had planned a fan march to the stadium. Dortmund was overrun by Dutch fans, since Netherland is only a couple of hours car drive away or easily reached by trains. It was raining again, the public viewing areas were filled up and were closed down to more visitors within minutes, Dortmund was a sea of orange people.
The Netherland lost to Engand 1:2 after an exciting game, in which the English players had finally been pulled out of their reserved tactics from the prior games
Friday, July 12
Two more days till the Euro2024 Final in Berlin between Spain and England.
Today was our last get-together as Volunteers in the Dortmund football museum right across from the main train station.
Our managers had organized a fantastic party with lots of free drinks, food and lots of photos & videos from our last four weeks together. We all had won new friends and had a great time.
