Diary from the States, Day 7 | First match

The stadium is immense — more so from the inside than the outside. A vast sweep of concrete steps forming an arena etched into the memories of all those who, in the summer of 1994, held onto a blue dream. Our FIFA Club World Cup began here, at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena. The sun beating down on the pitch is the same as that American summer — relentless, blazing. The U.S. flag waves high, and fans arrive from both Italy and Mexico.

Inter is back. The pitch is back. Football is back. Cristian Chivu on the bench, the captain kicks off — and then finds the net. Thousands of kilometers from Milan, from our routines, our rituals, and our time zones — we’re back on the field.

A World Cup match, with two world champions on the scoresheet. The sweat and the grind, the fans arriving even after kickoff, the new jersey, the old connections. It all comes back — and in just a few moments, you're already in the heart of a new adventure. And on the pitch, the new faces too: a first time is never forgotten. Luis and Petar.

It started with a draw — and it’s only the beginning. Our time in Los Angeles is almost over. Seattle awaits.