Away Days Don't Get Much Better | Charterhouse School

"The Senior Football Tour to Portugal will be one of the most memorable experiences I will ever be part of." – Spencer, Second Year Specialist (Year 13)

Everyone on the tour was excited to go, especially as, for some of us, this would be our first tour with the School. Many of us had not been to Portugal before, and this was an opportunity we were all grateful the School had organised.

We spent the first four days in Lisbon, where both the As and Bs played two fixtures. Unfortunately, the As started the tour with a tough loss, but after some rest and recovery they went on to win their next match on Day 3. The Bs started strongly, winning 6-0 in their first fixture. However, they suffered a loss in Game 2 against a strong 30-man squad.

We also had the chance not only to tour Benfica's beautiful stadium but to train at their facilities with their coaches. We were all able to learn a lot, despite it being just one training session, and gain an insight into what it would be like to train at the Benfica Academy.

After arriving in Porto, the team took part in a competitive 8-a-side tournament: four coaches, four teams. Coming out on top was Mr Raisbeck's team, although some would argue a rematch is deserved.

Luckily, FC Porto were playing PSV in the Champions League during our stay. After watching countless games through a screen, we got to see professional football up close. Although it was one of the few games to finish with fewer than four goals, we all still enjoyed it, and the passion of the away supporters was a particular highlight.

Both teams had two fixtures left to play in Porto, rotating the teams they would face. After a river cruise and a tour of FC Porto's stadium, both sides went on to win their matches later that evening.

Early the next morning, the team headed to the beach for a surfing lesson. After many falls, and some success standing up on the board, we could all agree that we still didn't know when to start paddling.

The final fixtures were a great success, with both teams ending the tour with big wins.

Being able to compete against international teams and make new friends after the games made me realise how powerful football is in connecting communities. Despite some questionable tackles and calls, we always seemed to be smiling after the matches, possibly because both teams combined to win eight of their ten fixtures.

All in all, the tour was a massive success. I can say on behalf of everyone that it was incredibly enjoyable and something we will all look back on as one of our core memories at Charterhouse.

Thank you to everyone involved in making this tour happen. It really was something else.