The Premier League is the best championship in the world of football, maybe not always be the most competitive, but without exception, the most interesting to watch and always full of surprises. Every year Premier League clubs spend the most funds on reinforcements compared to any other league in the world and more and more players want to play in this league. The viewership, the best players in the world, and probably the most modern stadiums and training centers make the Premier League exceptional compared to all the others.

This is not the experience of Goran Popov or Artim Shaqiri playing in the Premier League, but it is the experience of watching a Premier League match in 2023.

On May 7, 2023, I had the opportunity to attend the match West Ham United – Manchester United, which was played at the “London” stadium, the Olympic stadium built for the summer Olympic games in London in 2012. After West Ham had an emotional farewell to their former stadium “Boleyn Ground” better known as “Upton Park” according to the city of London, the Olympic Stadium was awarded to the “Hammers” (the nickname of West Ham United Football Club or “Irons” in English) ) from east London. The stadium may not yet have the Upton Park history of Bobby Moore and Co’s European Cup or FA Cup triumphs, but it is nonetheless an impressive modern edition that wows at first glance. What is additionally impressive is the sound acoustics that this stadium has, so when you hear the famous “I am forever blowing bubbles”, the stadium but also the entire Olympic Village echoes with the team and the fans.

Starting with this song, some may also know it from the movie “Green Street Hooligans” which makes your hair stand up as the whole stadium sings it in unison. The excellent organization of the match must also be noted, that is, there is no longer what we can imagine or what may appear in the media when English fans go to away games, in this case, everything is organized, and there is a marked path that leads you from the metro station to the stadium with security guards, but with minimal police presence where the fans first of all walk quietly towards the stadium. You enter the stands and you are greeted by excitement and the rush of victory and water bubbles flying everywhere, so high, they reach the sky. Already from the beginning of the match, you can feel the electrified atmosphere, the desire to win, and the cheering that is transmitted to the players on the field and pushes them to give even what is beyond their capabilities. Although perhaps a slightly slow game compared to the criteria of the Premier League, it is still a game with a lot of dynamics and is interesting to watch. The moment the change the game, West Ham United scores a goal, a long shot that is quite slow, low, on the ground, but one of the best goalkeepers in the world in the Manchester United goal makes a less incomprehensible mistake and the ball ends up in the net. Eruption! The whole stadium is on its feet, you feel the energy going through you, and you’re just in the stands, how about the players…?

Half time is the time for refreshments, the seats remain empty, and the sub-stand area fills up where fans enjoy a cold drink and some snacks. The comment of one of them is interesting, saying “They don’t let us take the drinks to the seats because they don’t trust us.”

A second half that is more dynamic, that is more creative, with more chances and interesting moments, but without a change in the result. The stands are where the changes happen, from young couples, and friends, to grandfathers and grandmothers with their grandchildren rooting for West Ham United to withstand the last gasps of one of the world’s most famous clubs, Manchester United. “Come on you Irons!” blares, foot-tapping that makes you feel like the earth is moving, yelling about getting rid of all the jitters from last week, singing for your club, and leading the club to a victory that just happened.

At the London Stadium when West Ham United plays, it is not advisable to wear the shirt of the opposing team, which is confirmed by the stewards when they point to some of the fans who have come from other countries and tell them to button up their jackets all the way in order to not to see the color of the jersey they are wearing. The end of the match does not mean the end of the enjoyment, the fans stay around the stadium where there are various kiosks for refreshments and food, where they socialize, but also buy merchandise from the club’s official store.

It is different from watching and experiencing football in Macedonia or the Balkans, but watching a Premier League match is a special experience. Even if you’re not a big fan of football or the Premier League, I highly recommend going to at least one game if you can, not only because it’s the best league in the world, but also because the history and the fans have a profound effect on the whole experience. It should also be borne in mind that it is in England, the United Kingdom, where the most important of the least important things in the world begins.

Andrej Naumovski