Youthful energy from Bratislava to Berlin

It all started this Saturday at five o'clock in the morning at Bratislava train station. Antón Terra, Rodri, Bosa, Raúl, Diego, Dani, Marcos and Javier Galán, eight Spanish students living in the Slovakian capital while doing an Erasmus year there, set off to Berlin full of enthusiasm for the national team at the start of a Euro adventure.

Although several of them are immersed in their final exams, Spain's opening match at the European Championships was enough of a lure to take them to Prague and have a bite to eat in the Czech capital before continuing on their way to the German capital.

The reward for these hardy fans awaited upon arrival in the form of meeting Dani Olmo, Joselu and Pedri, who is the same age as them, for a chat, getting some autographs and taking photos with their idols before heading to the Olympic Stadium.

In the Berlin coliseum and in two groups of four each, these budding young lawyers, IT technicians, business administrators and architects have put their books to one side for a while to enjoy the memorable victory Spain secured against Croatia, with thousands of Spaniards in the stands.

"If they win, we'll go out and party afterwards, and if they lose we might do as well," explained Rodrigo Esteban before Spain's first match. In the end, a joyous celebration long into the Berlin night for these Erasmus students who, beyond their university grades, will never forget this end of the football trip to finish their university year.