We pride ourselves in Scotland on the sound our football fans make but truly it can surely never match The Ruhr Roar.
I am standing in the Yellow Wall of Borussia Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion and a little kid 100 rows is screaming.
We’re told her screech would be amplified 20,000 times when the supporters are yelling on their beloved Borussia.
You imagine it would be difficult pitchside for a coach, say ex-Borussia boss Jurgen Klopp, to get his messages to his players or his staff.
But today on our stadium tour it is not a problem, we only need to get the attention of the barman serving us beer in the technical area.
Another brand might say if they did football tours these would be the best football tours in the world.
Deutschland uber alles
Certainly for German fans as we visit too the National Football Museum.
Though not the Hungarian in our group who left with the cheers for the German team who beat his side to the World Cup in 1954 ringing in his ears.
The Miracle of Bern, the first of four World Cups Germany have won is referenced relentlessly throughout the one-hour tour.
And to think my own native Scotland have only won four finals matches in their entire history.
All of which means that the closest you’ll ever get to see a Scot next to the World Cup is in a museum like this.
Now football museums may seem a niche interest but they are a cultural guide into a people at play.
Gelsekirchen’s kickin’
And you know what I say about seeking out the quarters where the locals play and pray when you travel.
And to Celine at the Schalke 04 stadium they are one and the same thing.
Celine proudly shows off the sliding full-size out of stadium pitch which they move inside every match day.
The idea is that they maximise the sunlight on the grass and can also utilise the indoors space for other activities.
Of course ice shows sound a great idea and concerts although unfortunately that does draw Ed Sheeran to the ground.
The Ruhr is the heartland of German football so it is only right that the national museum is situated here.
Where neighbouring towns vie for bragging rights.
Essen, where we’re staying for the German Travel Mart, which is home to the hero of that Miracle of Bern, Rott Weiss’s Helmut Rahn.
Dortmund, past winners of the Champions League.
And Schalke 04, who have also spawned World Cup winners.
And where Celine tells us they even have a chapel.
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