Arunava about Football A look at football & the world through my eyes!
Related Articles
The UEFA EURO 2024 Trophy Tour started in Stuttgart this week, with fans getting the opportunity to see the Henri Delaunay Cup up close as it made its way through the city alongside several special guests.
Excitement is building across Germany as we count down the days to the start of UEFA EURO 2024, and fans in Stuttgart got the first taste of the action as the Trophy Tour kicked off in the city on March 22.
In the build-up to the tournament, the Henri Delaunay Cup is making its way through the country, with supporters in all ten host cities getting the chance to see the iconic silverware. The Trophy Tour will conclude in Munich on 14 May, exactly a month before Germany face Scotland in the opening match at the Munich Football Arena.
The party begins in Stuttgart
Festivities kicked off on Friday morning in Stuttgart where fans and media were treated to a spectacular launch of a hot air balloon in the shape of the trophy. The EURO cup then made its way through the city on a photo tour, taking in sights such as Grabkapelle, Wilhelma, Schillerplatz and the Stuttgart Arena, where it was met by tournament director Philipp Lahm, ambassador Celia Šašić two-time Women’s EURO winner and DFB vice-president for equality and diversity – and mascot Albärt. Joining them was Host City ambassador and VfB Stuttgart legend Cacau, who made nearly 350 appearances over 11 years at the club.
Tournament director Philip Lahm said, “With the Trophy Tour, we want to create anticipation for the UEFA EURO and Stuttgart shows just how good that feels. It is simply not a given to be so close to such a coveted football trophy.”
“That’s what makes it so special.”
The procession ended at Schlossplatz, where Lahm – who spent two seasons at Stuttgart – and Šašić handed the trophy over to Cacau and Stuttgart mayor Frank Nopper in front of the historic Neues Schloss. Also in attendance were three-time Olympic gymnast and Host City ambassador Elisabeth Seitz, and Deputy Minister President of Baden-Württemberg, Thomas Strobl.
On Saturday, the event is moving to the Königsbau Passagen, where supporters can view and take photos with the cup throughout the day.
Stuttgart is set to host four group-stage matches at UEFA EURO 2024, including Germany v Hungary in Group A, and will make ‘the whole city a stadium’ during UEFA EURO 2024, with four fan zones featuring a range of entertainment and activities.
Trophy Tour continues its journey
By bringing the trophy to fans throughout Germany, the Trophy Tour plays an important part in the UEFA EURO 2024 vision: to be a role model for global events of its kind. As well as being the most sustainable European Championship in history, UEFA EURO 2024 is an event for all fans, uniting people across Germany and Europe. Fostering ties with local clubs such as Cannstatt is included in the tournament’s Environmental, Social and Governance Strategy, which supports grassroots football through a number of different initiatives.
The Trophy Tour will now move on to Frankfurt on April 2-3, where Šašić will again be joined by local ambassadors to parade the cup and meet local fans.
