Viennese of the week

Enthusiastic, celebrating, peaceful: fans in Vienna

Exuberant celebrations in the "Krone" fan zone in the Prater.(Bild: Michael Gratzer)

We can be really proud of our national team. But the fans in Vienna's public viewing zones are also fantastic: exuberant, euphoric, patriotic and disciplined. Our Viennese of the week are already European champions. 

Cheering, fearing, hoping, trembling until the final whistle and frenetic applause: the exuberant enthusiasm for our great European Championship team is palpable in the city's fan zones. The soccer fans and our team - they almost seem to be one. There's not a piece of paper between them. Win or lose, we go through thick and thin together.

The visitors to the public viewing zones are just as fantastic as Christoph Baumgartner casually nets the ball into the goal. Euphoric yet disciplined and peaceful.

"Austria again and again": these lads have what it takes.(Bild: Michael Gratzer)

Unlike at many a Vienna derby, there has never been any serious friction with the police here. In general, our police seem to have everything under control in terms of security. While there have been reports of some serious skirmishes between fan groups in Germany, everything has been fine here so far.

The solidarity with our national team is also evident in the many red-white-red jerseys, face painting, hats and flags. You show where you stand and are proud of it. Dear European Championship fans, you are making yourselves big winners. European champions. You are our Viennese of the week.