The group stages at the Euro 2020 have ended and there have been some incredible moments throughout the nine host cities. 16 teams made it through to the knockout phases, and the champions of Europe will be crowned after only four more victories.
Seville, the host city in Spain, will be hosting its final game of the tournament on Sunday June 27 as Portugal face Belgium for a place in the quarter finals.
Seville is not only one of the most iconic cities in European sport, home to Sevilla FC and Real Betis, but also rich in culture, with beautiful architecture and music at its heart.
Here is what you need to know about Seville ahead of Sunday.
British roots of both major football clubs
The Sevilla FC club crest evokes the history of both club and city, while the red and white colours originate from English side Sunderland. Due to these ties, you will often see Sevilla fans fly St George’s flag at matches.
Real Betis play in green and white, and although these are the colours of the Andalusian flag, Betis playing in green originates from Celtic in Glasgow. The colours were brought back to Seville from Glasgow by Ramos Asensio, one of the club’s founders, in 1913. Six years later in 1919, green and white became the club’s official colours.
British fans are welcome by the Andalusians with open arms, particularly football fans.
The fiercest rivalry in LaLiga – El Gran Derbi
If there’s a fixture that can rival Real Madrid v FC Barcelona in terms of intensity and passion, it’s the Seville city derby between Real Betis and Sevilla FC. ‘El Gran Derbi’ is one of the most iconic derbies in world football and brings the city to a standstill at least twice a season.
The divide is palpable across the city, but if there’s one neighbourhood where the Betis connection runs particularly deep it’s Triana. The ‘Calle Betis’ runs through the area and its inhabitants have a different way of seeing, feeling and enjoying life.
Andalusian passion ensures there are infinite legendary moments and talking points whenever the two sides meet. Being top dogs in the city is akin to winning a trophy for football fans in Seville.
The sunrises and sunsets in Andalusia
The sun shines brightly in Andalusia and the region enjoys some of the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets. With the game on Sunday being an evening game, expect a beautiful ambience, with the descending sun creating a unique atmosphere for the game, which will be a perfect send off to Seville hosting games in the tournament.
Music – club anthems
Both Real Betis and Sevilla FC have incredible club anthems that fans passionately roar before and during games.
Sevilla’s Anthem of the Centenary was chosen by prestigious magazine France Football as the fifth-best anthem in the world game. The song, composed by Spanish singer El Arrebato, generates one of the most special moments of every match at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan as the home faithful sing in unison just before kickoff.
“Viva er Betis manque pierda” (‘Long live Betis, even if they lose’) is quite possibly the most famous motto in LaLiga culture. Its origin dates back to when the club dropped down into the fourth tier but continued to see a packed-out stadium and large numbers of fans travelling to following the team away from home, week in and week out.
Both songs encapsulate the love and history of the clubs, and their pride to be from Seville.
Historic landmarks
Seville is blessed with several iconic and beautiful buildings and tourist attractions.
La Giralda is the bell tower of Seville’s cathedral and stands tall at 104m in height, making it one of the city’s most famous landmarks and most important symbols. This tower has long been connected with Sevilla FC and is even mentioned in the club’s hymn, with fans chanting before each match about how the landmark would feel proud to see the team playing at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán.
The Torre del Oro – or, in English, the Tower of Gold – is an old military watchtower in the city of Seville, located just by the Guadalquivir River. Nowadays, there is a museum inside and it is also used for cultural events. When Sevilla FC won their most recent Europa League, the tower was even lit up in the club’s colours.
Moorish Revival-style Plaza de España – this not-to-be-missed site is now possibly best known outside Spain as the filming location for blockbusters including Lawrence of Arabia and Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones.
