Co-written by one of our team members, João Nuno Reis.

Football is easily the most played and popular sport in the world. It boasts an immense fanbase of ~3.5 billion, according to World Population Review. It’s a game that transcends boundaries, creating a global village of players and passionate fans. Whether playing or watching, football extends to us the opportunity for experience and connection with one another. Even with its inner diversity and competition, “The Beautiful Game”, is most definitely, an important thread in the patchwork of humanity.

Hostels and football hold a lot in common, and when the two meet…oh boy, do sparks fly! Football and other sports are so close to hostels’ missions that they ought to always somehow be included in their array of beyond-bed experiences. Follow along for a true story about how hostels, the love of travel, one’s country, and football, unites and introduces different people to each other, even in the least likely of places.  

In 2016, Madeiran photographer and videographer, Nuno Andrade, was becoming a firmly established freelancer in his area. His high-quality work was giving him a well-deserved reputation, and suddenly he found himself booked out months ahead. However, as an artist, he was thirsty to reinvent himself. He felt that by shooting weddings all summer, that would simply not be possible. So, with a trust in his craft, and a desire for his dreams, he bought a one-way ticket to Jakarta, deciding to fulfill his life-long wish of exploring South East Asia instead.

Nuno was also a passionate supporter of the Portuguese National Football Team and found himself in the newly-named country of Myanmar (formerly referred to as Burma) on the 10th of July, 2016… a day every Portuguese can recall.

This date being the 2016 Euro Final. 

Weeks had already passed since Nuno began his voyage, bouncing from hostel to hostel in Bali, followed by Singapore, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Due to the time difference and the fact that he was in “voyage mode” – constantly dazzled by the humbleness of the Southeastern Asian culture and the amazing pictures he was getting for his very envious portfolio, he had not been watching Portugal’s progression in the tournament. He was, however, closely following the results. Despite being in the depths of the beautiful jungles of Myanmar, when he learned it would be his country, Portugal, vs France in the final, he was determined to watch…no matter what. 

The next day he got busy. Nuno began asking all around, from hostel staff to other travelers, if they knew where he could watch this match. Eventually, he met a Frenchman, cosmically comedic in this context, in his hostel, who told him he “knew a place”.  Now I know this sounds similar to a search for hidden treasure, but just wait, it gets even more so. 

The game was being held in Paris, Sunday, at 21:00 sharp. So to time it right, together the two woke up at 4:00 AM to begin a 40-minute trek through the wilderness, with only one flashlight for both of them. Outside of scope, the dark jungle enclosed them with the crunch of dried leaves and an eerie, constant bark as their only notable sounds. Their hearts raced as if they had just played in the final themselves. Both dedicated to the mission as much as the players preparing for the game.

After an adrenaline-rushing trek, the two finally arrived at the new hostel, that was broadcasting the match. Upon arrival, they found around 50 more supporters, but to Nuno’s luck…all French. The game was played in a common room, with everyone’s eyes glued to the set. The anticipation was thick in the shared air that squished in all of the fans. There was nothing else to the place, not a bar or vending machine, nothing but football as its beyond-bed magic. Nuno recalls the scenario as so illusory, that to this day, he regrets not having his camera with him at this moment. Sometimes he still has to convince himself it was not all a dream. 

He joined the others on the carpetless wooden floor that creaked as he rested his mosquito-bitten legs on it. Being the only Portuguese supporter, he was naturally quiet in his outward appearance, yet on the inside, he was bursting with excitement and anxiety. His country had never won a major tournament before, and after decades of unsuccessful attempts in semis and finals… could this really be the day?

After singing along to Portugal’s national anthem, in his head of course, the game began. With the first roll of the ball, Nuno would receive the answer to his question in 120 minutes from then. 

Only 25 minutes in, a historic tragedy occurred to Team Portugal. Cristiano Ronaldo, Nuno’s hometown patriot, team captain, and one of the greatest players of all time, got injured. Crying his way out on a stretcher, Ronaldo tried to stay in the game, but his body just would not allow him. So disheartened, initially he was even unable to watch the game on the bench, so he did so from the dressing room. Not only did this crush Ronaldo’s heart, but a lot of Portugals’ hopes too. Like the rest of his country, Nuno was devastated. 

The French supporters surrounding him celebrated this as if it was a goal, and rightly so. It is something that theoretically gave them a humongous advantage. Each pass was nerve-racking, each foul nail-biting. To watch this match was to put oneself in agony at every passing minute. The dominant French team continued to press on and try to score, but, as the game continued, something seemed to be happening in Portugal’s defense…against the odds, it was still 0-0. Portugal was hanging in there all the way to extra time!

Up until that point, Ronaldo was in the dressing room, because for him not participating was, 1000x more tortuous than his injury. Near the end of the match, however, out comes – limping so badly to the field it was painful to watch – Ronaldo! There he stood alongside his colleagues, motivating the playing 11. If one did not know any better, it looked as if he was the coach. 

In a reshuffle of odds, Éder, the substitute from the bench, the ugly duckling of the squad, the underdog of all footballers, heroically scored the most important goal in the country’s history, sealing the victory for Portugal. Amáilia, the fado diva, Eusébio, and the legendary King Sebastian, all came down from heaven to help him score that extra-time goal.

Nuno was suffering in silence. His insides were bursting with confetti, fireworks shooting out of his ears, all hidden in his nonchalant smile. When he heard “GOAL”, in Portuguese he quickly realized he had one fellow countryman with him. Both relieved themselves from the upset French majority and ran outside, embracing each other with a hug that, if any tighter, could have cracked both their backs. 

Nuno was in ecstasy! His country, which he deeply loves, was as united as ever, and he was experiencing his dream voyage. The best of both worlds. Though the French around him had disappointed hearts, it is a moment that shows the connecting force, among nations, even in other countries, to unite and bond over “The Beautiful Game“. 

No matter where one finds oneself in the world, one thing rings true…the love for the game can never be lost, only shared more, and all thanks to this hostel’s beyond-bed.

Even though this beyond-bed experience for Nuno may have involved a forgotten camera, his trip’s impact on his craft was as meaningful to him as Portugal’s win. Aside from his sleuthing skills, Nuno Andrade’s professional skills were also greatly nurtured on this journey, as one can tell by the following photos: 

To check out more of his captivating and incredible work follow along here: https://www.behance.net/nunocfandrade and on Instagram @wood.landstudio!

In a world where life can feel like a game, come and join the underdog of travelers and become a part of our beyond-bed community! Connect yourself with other world-backpackers, find volunteer opportunities, (talk all things football) and experience beyond-bed like never before! 

And who knows, in less than a month from now, you might find yourself in a hostel while your country is playing in the Euro final