It wasn’t until I was home after the spring semester ended in 2006 that I watched a soccer game for the very first time. The Word Cup had just started and I was lucky enough to watch the United States play their hearts out to force a tie against a ridiculously talented Italy squad that would go on to win the tournament a few weeks later. I’ve been in love with the game ever since.
What has attracted me to soccer since that summer day besides the skill, strategy and excitement is that it is a truly global sport. In the United States the big three (Baseball, Basketball and Football) have been uniquely American pastimes that we’ve only begun to recently see expand seriously into other global markets. There’s something inspiring and unifying about the immense pride and passion you see on the faces of fans and players whenever the big international tournaments start. It doesn’t get much better than the pageantry we see at the start of these contests. Each massive flag is carried out while players walk out of the tunnel holding the hand of a star struck child, respective national anthems play as television cameras zoom in on the faces of players as they mumble words under their breath while fighting back emotions and tears. The whole world huddles together and watches.
Today, arguably the second biggest sporting event in the world commences as the 16 best squads from European nations compete in a tournament for the 2012 Euro Cup. The competition, that marks the halfway point until the next World Cup, will last until July 1 and will be held in various locations throughout Poland and the Ukraine. The 2011 Super Bowl drew over 111 million viewers on NBC this year, (go Giants). That’s a stunning number but compare that to the predictions experts have made for this edition of the Euro Cup. It’s anticipated that each game will draw an average television audience of 150 million fans worldwide. Multiply that by the number of games they’ll have in total and we’re talking billions of people.
While the Coldwell Banker brand is an iconic name in real estate throughout North America, we are also a strong global brand with a presence in over 50 countries. The Euro Cup has a new home this year, but regardless of the country, Coldwell Banker Real Estate is there to open the doors to that new place. In the spirit of the Euro Cup starting today, here are a few stunning properties from our companies doing business in countries participating in this 14th edition of the Euro Cup!
England – London – $80,925,000
No, this is not a museum, it’s one of London’s finest residences located in the heart of Mayfair. It was meticulously built well over one hundred years ago and features over 18,000 square feet of living and entertaining space.
France – Paris – $16,060,500
This one-of-a-kind apartment boasts a priceless view of the Eiffel Tower, spacious rooms with over 12 foot high ceilings and countless other magnificent amenities. I could definitely get used to seeing that view every morning.
Italy – Monte Argentario – $11,213,200
Take a gander at this superb property over looking the sea. If that wasn’t enough, the property is perfectly surrounded by land that slopes down to a private beach that is all yours.The villa also offers a large interior courtyard and beach views from nearly every room on the premises.
Portugal – Sintra – $23,655,000
Located minutes from Lisbon stands one of Portugal’s most historic and breathtaking properties. It occupies nearly 13 acres on the slopes of the Sintra mountains and was the legendary retreat of mythology’s Diana the Huntress and famous British writer Lord Byron. This over 200 year old estate is on sale for the first time in over 60 years!
Republic of Ireland – Dublin – $995,000
This wonderfully restored ultra-modern luxury penthouse rests in the heart of one of Europe’s most vibrant cities, Dublin. It offers the finest chic finishes and luxury living while preserving the grandeur and old world charm of the Georgian period.
Spain – Madrid – $3,164,925
One of Madrid’s most sought after and stylish lofts features four bedroom suites, an indoor swimming pool and a gym to keep fit year round. Every corner of this 6,660 square feet loft is artistically and beautifully designed to offer a cosmopolitan lifestyle.
We’d like to wish all 16 nations the best of luck over the next month! If you’d like to learn more about the tournament you can visit the official website here. Do you plan on watching the Euro Cup? If so, let us know who you’ll be routing for!
*Euro Cup Photo Courtesy of: MediaBistro
Have played soccer in Germany since I was 6years old and never lost my love for the game.
No wonder it is called “the beautifull game”. Happy to know that you joined the football (better name) worldwide fans. Perhaps we should watch a game together