Diary from the States, Day 17 | Charlotte Gets Ready

Diary from the States, Day 17 | Charlotte Gets Ready

The air feels different—drier, stiller. No ocean breeze, no hills on the horizon. Just scorching asphalt, skyscrapers rising straight into the sky, the sun beating down on rooftops and streets. Charlotte is another piece of America, unlike anything we’ve experienced so far.

A city that moves fast, where NASCAR engines are almost a religion, where downtown is tidy, modern, gleaming. But just a short drive away, you find real nature—parks, woods, open green. A double soul, like much of this country.

In the middle of it all, there’s us. A new match is approaching, and the anticipation is growing—with excitement, with the drive to get back on the pitch and keep going. We train, we focus, eyes forward, hearts full.

Charlotte is slowly filling up. English and Portuguese fans are already crossing paths—Benfica and Chelsea will play first, and then it will be our turn. Meanwhile, a few splashes of black and blue begin to show up here too.

The countdown has begun. Charlotte is watching. And getting ready.