THE PEÑA ATLÉTICA DE ALEMANIA AND THE 120TH ANNIVERSARY OF ATLETI
April 26th was an important day for Club Atlético de Madrid as it celebrated its 120th anniversary. For the Peña Atlética de Alemania, it will also be a day to remember as we became an official fan club on that day. It was not a coincidence: we thought it was the perfect day to start our official status and Atlético de Madrid helped us make it happen. The day before, I was surprised by a phone call that at first I took as a joke: as the president of the fan club, they invited me to watch the match against Mallorca from the VIP box, and hinted at a surprise that they wanted to keep secret. I gladly accepted the invitation and tried not to get nervous.
On the 26th, we decided that the first act of the fan club would take place on Calle de la Cruz, right where our Atleti was born, as a commemorative plaque attests. There, some members of the fan club proudly wore our scarves for the first time and waved our flag with pride and emotion. After baptizing the event as it should be, we headed to the restaurant where we had arranged to meet with members of other fan clubs to eat and start the pre-match festivities. The atmosphere was festive, how could it not be! We were celebrating an anniversary and a birth. Reuniting with friends, meeting new people, laughing together, and enjoying good food is always a reason for joy. On our way to the Estadio Metropolitano, we passed by our favorite bar, “El Zarzal”, to leave one of our scarves that will now hang over the bar on match days. Little by little, we all came together, and outside the stadium, the atmosphere was sensational. It was a day of celebration, and despite it being Wednesday, we were all in the party mood.
I picked up my pass for the VIP box intrigued by what awaited me there. The entrance already exceeded all my expectations: Germán “El Mono” Burgos was the one who greeted me, and I took my first of many photos with him. The huge room was full of people, mostly former players of the club, legends that had all my attention, and with whom I could chat, laugh, take photos, and toast to Atleti. The food was delicious and abundant, the company unbeatable, and the views of the stadium fabulous. I met Eduardo, representative of the Union of Fan Clubs and invited to the event like me, and together we finally talked to Juan Carlos, responsible for the Peñas, who revealed to us that at the end of the match, we would go out onto the pitch, Eduardo representing the largest fan club and me representing the foreign fan clubs. After the surprise, we sat in the VIP box to enjoy the game. Watching it surrounded by legends and hearing their comments during the match was a real treat.
Shortly before the final whistle, we went down where the commemorative event was already starting. If I thought I saw many legends in the upstairs room, the downstairs room seemed like a living wax museum. Former and current players, journalists, women’s team players, coaches… everyone was there and I felt like I was dreaming without even imagining that the best was yet to come. The oldest legends had already come out onto the pitch, now it was the turn of the women’s team players, the handball players, among so many famous people, and I was amazed, each one more friendly and pleasant: Koke, Villa, Torres, Gabi, Solozábal, “El Cacho” Heredia, Pereira, Adelardo… there are not even as many stars in the Sabina Centennial anthem! I saw how everyone was getting into position on the pitch for what would be the official photo. The ovation for Torres, Cholo, Koke… and finally, our turn arrived. Eduardo walked out with the arm of the oldest member of the club, a charming lady who had watched the match sitting next to us, and I had the honor of walking out with Pedro Palmero, a charming gentleman of 91 years who is, no more and no less, the member number one of Atleti. Not bad!
Walking onto the pitch was one of the moments that I will surely never forget in my life. Thousands of people applauding, singing, waving their flags… it was all like a dream to me, a dream that I didn’t want to wake up from. It was an unforgettable moment, unique, one that you keep in your heart as a treasure. Little by little, we approached our place for the photo. His steps were insecure, but he was as excited as I was. Slowly we arrived, and everyone settled in. I stayed there not knowing where to go until the president himself, Enrique Cerezo, invited me to sit in the place that was reserved for him. So I sat there. In front of all the legends, all the players, all the important personalities including Enrique Cerezo and José Luis Martínez Almeida, the mayor of Madrid. In the center of a historic photo was me, unable to believe everything that was happening to me.
And suddenly over the loudspeaker, they invited all those present in that wonderful stadium to sing the Atlético de Madrid anthem. Everyone started waving their flags and when the first notes sounded, thousands of throats sang the anthem at the top of their lungs. Music wasn’t necessary, we all sang a cappella and at that moment, I became aware of living a unique, divine moment, and thousands of images came to my mind: me holding hands with my father walking to the Calderón, me singing the alirón with my father, my son wearing his first red-and-white kit, so many trips accompanying Atleti around the world, so many shared red-and-white moments… Everything was there, and I knew with pride that my life is full of Atleti. I was crying and I didn’t realize it until we stopped singing. My tears were pure emotion, joy for belonging to this club and being part of the colchonero family, and gratitude for being able to add an unforgettable memory to the many I already have.
I left the field after having a little chat and laughs with El Cholo, taking a thousand photos with my idols, enjoying our home from another perspective, the one that players have, and feeling like the luckiest woman in the world. Thanks to Club Atlético de Madrid for making the birth of the Peña Atlética de Alemania such a special event, to all the players, legends, and staff in general for being so attentive and treating us so well.
Now all that’s left is to congratulate Atleti on their 120th anniversary and for making that Athletic de Madrid founded by four students, a club with dignity, pride, courage, and heart.
Aúpa Atleti!
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