Right, that Euro 2020 game, France against Portugal. Big one, wasn’t it? Everyone going on about Ronaldo versus Mbappe, Benzema back in the mix. The whole world was watching, or so it felt.
Folks talk about the score, the 2-2, all those penalties. Yeah, it was all happening on the pitch. But for me? That game is burned into my memory for a totally different reason. It was a complete mess, my end, trying to actually see the thing.
My “Perfect” Game Night Setup
So, I’d been hyping this match up in my head for ages. Got the beers in, snacks piled high. Was gonna be epic. Then, my trusty old TV, the one that’s seen me through countless games, decides, “Nah, not today, mate.” Kicks the bucket right as the anthems are playing. Just… black. Screen totally dead.
You can imagine, right? Pure chaos. I tried everything. Smacked it a bit – don’t judge me, we’ve all been there. Unplugged it, plugged it back in, even tried talking nicely to it. Dead. Stone. Cold. Dead. The timing couldn’t have been worse, really.
I ended up scrambling, calling my mate Alex, practically begging to come over to his place. He said yeah, come on down. Now, Alex is a top bloke, but he’d just got a new puppy, a little terrier named “Chaos” – and let me tell you, the name was spot on. That dog had endless energy.
- Ronaldo’s first penalty? I think I saw it while trying to stop Chaos from chewing through Alex’s new trainers. The yapping was louder than the commentator.
- Benzema’s equalizer? Pretty sure Chaos was trying to “help” by jumping on my lap right at that moment, tail wagging like crazy, totally blocking the view.
- The second half was pretty much the same. Every time there was a bit of action, the dog would decide it was playtime. More penalties, more goals, and a lot more dog-dodging.
Honestly, when people bring up that France-Portugal game now, I don’t first think of the brilliant football, or the star players doing their thing. Nah. I think of puppy breath, the constant jingle of a dog collar, and trying to follow the ball while a small, furry missile was launching itself around the living room.
I did manage to catch the proper highlights online later, without any distractions. Looked like a cracker of a game. It’s just a shame my live “experience” of it involved more canine intervention than actual football focus. Still, made for a memorable night, just not for the reasons I expected!
