The Maryland men's soccer team has embarked on a 10 day tour of Portugal March 16-26, playing three matches during that span. The Terps in Portugal daily blog will keep you updated on the matches, the stories and the sights of Maryland's trip to the oldest country in Europe. 

Introduction

Olá Portugal! Welcome to the Terps in Portugal daily blog where we will take you inside the sights, sounds and stories of Maryland's 10-day journey in one of Europe's most historic nations.

Let's set the stage shall we? Maryland's trip to Portugal will run from March 16-26, with the squad setting up shop in the country's two biggest cities: Porto and Lisbon. The Terps begin the trip in Porto, with trips into the nearby town of Braga, before driving down to Lisbon for the rest of the trip. Maryland is set to play three matches against U-23 sides from three clubs that have first team squads in the top-five of Portugal's Primeira Liga table. The full match schedule: March 18: vs. Vitória S.C. U-23, March 21: vs. Braga U-23, March 24: vs. Benfica U-23.

Maryland's travel party will also get the chance to see two fantastic matches. The Terps will visit Estádio Municipal de Braga on March 19 to watch Braga take on F.C. Porto in a matchup between the clubs that sit second and third in the Primeira Liga standings. On March 23, the Terps will head to Estádio José Alvalade to watch the Portugal National Team take on Liechtenstein in a Euro 2024 qualifier. It will be the debut of new manager Roberto Martinez and his picked a squad that features all-time legend Cristiano Ronaldo, and world stars Bruno Fernandes, Joao Felix, Pepe and Bernardo Silva among others. 

The Terps will also get the chance to visit many of the countries most historic places and engage in cultural immersion activities. Let's have some fun! 

Travel/Day One (March 16-17)

The Terps set off on their journey on Thursday afternoon with an early evening flight from Dulles to Lisbon with a connecting flight to the squad's first destination, Porto. The bus ride to the airport was a stressful one, but not for any travel issues (we'll get to some of those). Maryland's players, coaches and staff watched breathlessly as the Maryland men's basketball team tried to complete a first round NCAA Tournament win over West Virginia. The boys cheered with every Hakim Hart bucket and roared for JuJu Reese' late game poster dunk. A collective exhale was had when the Terps finally closed out a 67-65 win. 

With basketball out of the way, the Terps were ready for their six-plus hour flight to Lisbon. It was a relatively smooth trip across the Atlantic Ocean, with various people doing various things to pass the time. People read and people watched movies, while your scribe bought the WiFi and kept on tweeting. Some even utilized TAP Porutugal's videos on common Portuguese phrases to try and get ready for the trip. It was a lovely flight.

That is where the smoothness of Maryland's travel ended. A strike among the customs agents at Humberto Delgado Airport caused massive lines at customs at 5 a.m., as the Terps tried to make their 7 a.m., connection to Porto. The weary turtles stuck it out in the big line for awhile before realizing drastic moves needed to be made to try and make the connection. Maryland director of operations Kerry D (the behind-the-scenes rock star of this entire operation) urged the travel party to hop into a different line (which literally included jumping a barrier) before negotiating the Terps' to the front of the line. A special shout out to Alex Nitzl and Luca Costabile, whose EU passports made their process extremely east. The rest of the party was very jealous.

Anyway, one-by-one the Terps attempted to get through customs, but it wasn't without issues. For various reasons, three players had to be sent back to the main line, with Maryland assistant Jake Pace staying back with them. For those four, the dream of making the connection was dead. 

For everyone else though, the race was on. Each person had to get through customs, go back through security and then quickly move towards the gate. Your scribe was among the last people through and moved with the final group of support staff and players to try and make the flight. We were not so lucky. Maryland athletic trainer Brian Simmerville (subbing on the trip for our friend back home Katelyn Engen) led the final group to the gate, but the airport staff denied entry to him as the rest of us caught up behind. Sasho Cirovski tried to argue for us to be let on, but it was to no avail. We'd missed the flight.

The split parties enjoyed different experiences following the split. The ones still at the airport rebooked to a 9:45 flight and enjoyed pastries in the airport, with Bob Kim leading the charge. If you were a reader of the Terps in England blog during Maryland's last international adventure, you remember the legend of Bob. Former Maryland player and now valued supporter of the Terps, Bob's self admitted love of food and drink is perhaps only surpassed by his love for golf. He was not going to let the staff not try a Pastel de Nata, a signature item in the country. Your scribe can confirm that it was very good.

Pace and the three players stuck in customs finally emerged after a total of three-plus hours in line. Big shout to those guys. The group that made it to Porto embarked on a long walk before waiting for the rest of us to show up. The full travel party was finally reunited at the hotel before going out to do a light training session, with the team set to play its opening match the following day. 

After training, the team set off on a walking tour of Porto, led by local guide Diana. It began in the beautiful Aliados, which is the main center of Porto. Let's start here, what a beautiful city. The team saw the fantastic São Bento Train Station and the outside of gorgeous churches and main city buildings. The place even has a beautiful McDonald's, housed in an old cafe called the Imperial. It was crazy. We also learned the JK Rowling was inspired by Porto in her creation of the famous Harry Potter series. 



The walking tour finished with an incredible view of the city and Douro River. Needless to say, many photos were taken. 

That view was a look into what the Terps can expect for the rest of their time in Portugal. A beautiful country with welcoming people and incredible sights. We can't wait for you to follow along! Saturday, the Terps are in action for the first time of the trip against Vitória S.C.'s U-23 side. 

Day Two (Match Day One vs. Vitoria U-23 | March 18)

No rest for the weary! After a long travel day, the Terps were in action for the first time against Vitoria S.C.'s U-23 side in Guimaraes. The match was hosted by the Open Village Sports Hotel and Spa, a beautiful complex that routinely hosts visiting professional sides and Portuguese National Team camps.

Prior to heading to Guimaraes, Maryland's players and staff embarked on a morning walk led of course by head coach Sasho Cirovski, who, in a surprise to no one we are sure, walks with a brisk pace. The team stretched in a pretty square surrounded by the town locals. It was quite the sight.

The team then departed for the match, set for 3:45 p.m. local time. Let's talk a little bit about Vitoria. Founded in 1922, Vitoria Sport Clube as its officially known, has finished third on four occasions in the Primeira Liga, which represents its highest finish in Portugal's top flight. The club has won one Taco De Portugal and one Supertaca Candido de Oliveira. Its home in Guimaraes is about 45 minutes north of Porto, which allowed for a beautiful winding drive through the hilly Portuguese terrain. 

Match Report

The XI
Mikah Seger (GK)
Luca Costabile (LB), Kento Abe (LCB), William Kulvik (RCB), Tyler Prebenda (RB)
Alex Nitzl (MF), Joe Suchecki (MF), Justin Harris (MF), Albi Ndrenika (MF)
Colin Griffith (F), Stefan Copetti (F)

The Terrapins opened their trip to Portugal with a 3-2 win over the Vitoria U-23's at the Open Village Sports Hotel and Spa in Guimaraes, Portugal.

Maryland used goals from Stefan Copetti, Max Riley and Ethan Gregory to defeat a quality Vitoria side.

"This was a great start to our trip," head coach Sasho Cirovski said to his players post game. "I saw a lot of good things today and I'm proud of the way you represented Maryland soccer on this field."

The Terps took the lead through Copetti in the first half. Some pretty combination play ended with the ball at Copetti's feet, with the Canadian making no mistake with his right foot. The Terps frustrated the local side with their press throughout the half and created a couple more quality chances, but Vitoria eventually tied it with just minutes remaining in the opening half.

The second half started with a bang. Max Riley took the ball off Colin Griffith's feet and slotted the ball past the Vitoria keeper with a classy finish. It was a fun moment between the two as both took credit for the goal.

A Vitoria wonder strike tied the match at 2-2 before the Terps found the winner with about 15 minutes to play. In a sequence that summed up the effectiveness of the Terps' press against a Vitoria side that was looking to build from the back, Ethan Gregory was able to turn the goalkeeper over and poke the ball home to make it 3-2. It was a great moment for the rising sophomore.

With the departure of some key players from the Terps 2022 Big Ten Championship winning side, some new names stepped up and played well in expanded roles. Kento Abe impressed at center back, pairing with William Kulvik in the first half and Brian St. Martin in the second half, both who also showed well.

The Terps boasted some steady performances from their experience in the midfield with Justin Harris, Alex Nitzl and Joe Suchecki all putting in good shifts, Rising sophomores Albi Ndrenika, who scored in Maryland's two NCAA Tournament games, continued his strong run of form while Matias de Jesus and Seungeon Kim also gave great efforts.

Luca Costabile and Tyler Prebenda put in good time at outside back, with Dalton Hass providing quality cover for both throughout the match.

Mikah Seger and Saxon Walcott split time between the sticks and performed well. The goal against Seger looked like it would've been overturned had their been VAR and Walcott's conceded goal was not savable.

Three of the four forwards that played scored and Griffith was a contributor to the first two. All in all, a successful first match for the Terps.

The team returned to the hotel in good spirits. Those turned to great spirits after a birthday song for Albi and an overtime win for Maryland Men's Lacrosse that was watched on strength coach Ben Hoffman's iPhone. Big time Hulu move from Mr. Hoffman, one of Maryland's unsung heroes and your scribe's roommate for the trip. 

Sunday, the Terps will head to Braga to train and tour the city before taking in a huge match between SC Braga and FC Porto.

Day Three (March 19)

"Braga, Braga, Braga!" Your corespondent here in Portugal can't get the song out of his head! (We'll get to that later).

The northern town of Braga dominated the Terps' Sunday in Portugal. The team set out from Porto for a morning training session at S.C. Braga's Academy, a light workout after the squad's whirlwind first 48 hours. The complex, which is about five years old, was sensational with full facilities for the club's various youth teams. It was sits a stones throw away from Estadio Municipal de Braga, the home of the club's first-team and where the Terps would take in a huge match between S.C. Braga and F.C. Porto that evening,

The Maryland training session was fairly nondescript, but it was not without fun involved. The Terrapin support staff had the pleasure of watching the celebrations of the club's U-10 team after they won a huge Sunday morning league match. The kids went for it, including a full applause with their supporters (parents), a water bottle tossing routine, a dance performance and chants. it was electric. The U-8s then took the field and dominated their opponents with kids blowing kisses to the crowd after scoring. You gotta love Braga.

Following training, the travel party was dropped off in the center of Braga to walk the city prior to the 6 PM match. What a cute little town Braga is, tucked away in the hills of the northern part of the country. Incredibly walkable with great outdoor cafes and pretty buildings. If you're sensing a theme, Portugal doesn't do many things that look bad. What a beautiful place.

The Terps were rounded up by their local guide on the trip, Pedro, to head to the stadium for the match. Pedro is the man. A Sporting Lisbon fan and apparently a good surfer, this guy seems to know people everywhere we go. He led the Terps to Estadio Municipal de Braga, a 30 thousand seat stadium built in 2003. The venue is incredible. It is known as A Pedreira (The Quarry) for literally being carved into the side of a mountain on the site of a former quarry. The scoreboard that sits in one end zone of the stadium is actually sitting on rocks and the stand where the Terps sat looked like it had just grown out of the mountain. 



Unfortunately for the Terps, they didn't get to see the home fans explode in happiness. Braga and Porto played a very wide open game that somehow ended 0-0 despite both teams having good chances to breakthrough. However, for many in the travel party, but mainly your humble scribe, can't get the songs and the chanting of the fans out of their heads. In the hours after the match, people just kept saying "Braga, Braga Braga". The day certainly had that lasting impact among the group. What a town, what a club, what a stadium. It was a great time in Braga (Braga, Braga). 

On Monday, the Terps are set for a morning training session before experiencing some of Porto with free time in the afternoon.

Day Four (March 20)

Happy Monday from Porto! Following a packed Sunday, the Terps' Monday was a more leisurely affair with a morning training session followed by team lunch and an afternoon of free time to explore the city.

Training started with some fun for the fellas. Terps' midfielder Matias de Jesus suggested to the men's soccer social media manager (also your humble corespondent) that the players should participate in a Tik Tok Q&A. The question: What teammate would you not want to date your sister? The answers will be revealed on social media but it was very much a two horse race. 

During training, one of the biggest moments of the trip (for a select few) occurred. It had been building for weeks and grew with intensity since our arrival in Portugal. The pickleball crew finally found a place to play pickleball. Who is the pickleball crew you ask? Well it is headed by Maryland administrator and men's soccer sport supervisor Shawn Flynn, who serves as the passionate organizer of Maryland's staff pickleball outings in College Park. Shawn and his wife Deb were joined on the court by the better half of the Cirovski's, Shannon. A four-time national champion at UNC and a National Soccer Hall of Famer, Shannon joined with Shawn to lead the charge on finding somewhere to play. They even brought their own paddles! Absolute scenes.

Well, on a tennis court outside the Terps' training pitch, they all finally played. They were joined by Maryland academic advisor Sydney Steinberg, our guy Pedro and finally by Sasho himself following the end of training. The great pickleball journey of 2023 was finally over (although they will surely play in Lisbon we'd assume). 



The big moments were not over! Following training, the Terps dined at Brasao Coliseu for one express purpose, eating the famous Francesinha, a staple of Porto. What a unit this sandwich is. You can't even eat it with your hands! Two thick slices of white bread with ham, steak, sausage and cheese in the middle, topped with more cheese and a fried egg on top. Why are we even trying to describe it? Here's a photo:



Needless to say this thing was incredibly good but very hard to finish. Plaudits go to Ben Hoffman, the previously mentioned pickleball person Mr. Flynn, Luca Costabile and Mikah Seger who all somehow finished. Hoffman was not shaken by the amount of food he consumed. We aren't sure the same can be said about Flynn. He may not have even wanted to play pickle ball at that point based on the look on his face.

After lunch, the fellas were released onto the town, able to enjoy the shops, restaurants and amazing views of Porto. Your corespondent walked around in a group led by the ever energetic Jake Pace, assistant coach, seeker of spots and finder of vibes. Multiple groups walked down to enjoy the incredible views of the city down by the river and the plethora of cafes and shops lining it. Your scribe and his group even traveled down from an elevated point in town to the river's edge by gondola, which allowed for a breathtaking view floating in midair over the water. We'll let the photos do the talking.



Shopping occurred in various ways as well. Some of the fellas headed to clothing stores nearer to the city's center, while others bought from street merchants lining the river. That's a fact we have to state about Porto, there's a bit of an experience for everyone depending on what you seek. 

As dinner approached, the group traveled back to their hotel for dinner. It was an early to bed, early to rise situation for the Terps. The team was set to travel to Braga to play SC Braga's U-23 team at 10 a.m. the following morning. It was going to be a tough test, with the Braga squad sitting first in Portugal's U-23 standings. 

Day Five (Match Day Two vs. Braga U-23 | March 21)

Back in action! Tuesday was an early day for the Terps, with a match against Braga U-23 set for 10 a.m. Braga is about a 45 minute journey from the Terps home base in Porto, so the squad would need to find its morning legs against a strong Braga side that would be playing some of its most highly rated prospects. 



The XI
Jamie Lowell (GK)
Luca Costabile (LB), Kento Abe (LCB), William Kulvik (RCB), Tyler Prebenda (RB)
Alex Nitzl (MF), Joe Suchecki (MF), Justin Harris (MF), Albi Ndrenika (MF)
Colin Griffith (F), Stefan Copetti (F)

The Terps dropped their match to S.C. Braga on the day. Braga's squad, which included multiple players that had logged minutes with their first team, controlled the first 45 match of the match from bell to bell. Playing against a different XI in the second half, the Terps created multiple high quality chances but ultimately were unable to tally a goal in the match. 

A shout out to Braga for their tremendous hospitality. The club allowed the Terps to use all their facilities for training, hosted the travel party for a first-team match and showed Maryland massive respect with how they approached the match. A class organization through and through and your correspondent knows he can speak for everyone here at Maryland in wishing Braga good luck with everything in the future. BRAGA, BRAGA, BRAGA forever. 

After the match, the Terps left Braga and headed back to Porto for their last afternoon in the city. A whirlwind beginning to the trip and looming travel day caused many to take naps and rest during the afternoon. Over the span of five days, the Terps had traveled across the pond and played two matches, so a good rest was in order. That wasn't to say some didn't take advantage of the free time. The Maryland coaches and staff enjoyed some time together along the Douro River, which continued to provide a fantastic setting for doing pretty much anything.

After a wild goose chase for a tapas restaurant that turned out to be closed (your scribe would rather not get into that), a smaller group went back to the river for dinner, which is where we have to shout out Terps assistant coach and man of the world Miles Vaughn. If not for Vaughn, your corespondent and the group would still be sitting at dinner. But the Texan was able to use his advanced lingual skills communicate his way through some tough service at a restaurant. This, among other may reasons, is why Miles is a legend. 

This night marked the end of the Terps' time in Porto. What a city. With the history, incredible culture, welcoming people and breathtaking views, your corespondent would recommend it to anyone looking to take a European adventure in a place that's not one of the much talked about cities London, Paris, Barcelona or Rome. We also have to thank the people at the Oca Oriental Porto Hotel for taking care of us. Class all the way.

On Wednesday, the Terps are set to hop on the bus and head to Lisbon, where they will still stay for the remainder of the trip. On the way, they will stop at the beach town of Nazaré to do some sight seeing. 

Day Six (March 22)

Bye Porto and hello Lisbon! It was travel day for the Terps as they set off south to the Portuguese capital. While in Lisbon, the squad is set to play Benfica's U-23 team and attend a Portuguese National Team match, among other activities. But let's pause on Lisbon for a second and talk about a little place called Nazaré.

On the way to Lisbon, the Terps stopped in the beach town of Nazaré and boy was it worth the stop. After one of the most robust lunches you'll every eat that included steak, rice, fries, salad and more at a local cafe, the Terps walked out to see the beautiful views of Nazaré. Known for its record breaking waves that have challenged some of the best surfers in the world, this place was incredble. Once again, let's allow the photo do the talking. 



Simply fantastic. Maryland's players and staff were able to walk down (fun) and back up (not as fun) the cliffs near the beaches for more amazing views. Some people were more adventurous than others in climbing said cliffs, but it was fun for all. Florida native Tyler Prebenda said, "We have good beaches, but this is sick". Works for us. You scribe made sure to grab some merchandise to mark the occasion and took at team photo that is his personal favorite of the trip so far. You'll see that at the end of this entry. 

The Terps hopped back on the bus and headed the about 90 more minutes down to Lisbon. Maryland is stationed is Caparica, which is not in the center of Lisbon, but is on the coast right on the beach. Not too shabby, with the entrance to the hotel about an 18-yard box away from sand. 

We have to finish this entry with birthday wishes to our guy Pedro. As previously talked about, Pedro is our local guide through the organizing company WorldStrides. The Lisbon native is an affable gent who has been invaluable to the trip. The team serenaded Pedro with happy birthday and presented him with a cake. Happy Birthday, Pedro. You're the man. 

On Thursday, the Terps are set to train at the Benfica Academy before attending the Euro 2024 qualifying match between Portugal and Liechtenstein at Estádio José Alvalade, home of Sporting Lisbon. 

Day Seven (March 23)

It's Thursday in Caparica! The Terps base of operations until the end of the trip is in Costa da Caparica, a resort town along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, about 20 minutes away from the city center of Lisbon. The beach is lined with surf schools and restaurants, and the beach is fantastic. To put is simply, it's not a bad place to spend some time.

The Terps opened the day with a 30 minute drive to the campus of S.L. Benfica for a training session. Benfica is the most storied club in Portugal, with 81 domestic trophies including 37 domestic league titles since the club was founded 119 years ago. The campus is football heaven, with nine pitches, a residential area for the clubs academy players and every amenity you could imagine. First class stuff for a first class club. 

Maryland's players heard some new voices at the beginning of the training session, with the club's academy coaches running the start of training before Cirovski, Pace and Vaughn took over the tactical part of the session. It was a good bit of work for the Terps before taking on Benfica's U-23 side the following day. The travel party was then treated to lunch at the club's on-site cafeteria before departing back to the hotel. 

After some afternoon free time to enjoy the beaches of Caparica, the main event of the day had arrived. Maryland was headed to Estádio José Alvalade for the Euro 2024 qualifying match between Portugal and Liechtenstein. Under just appointed manager Roberto Martinez, Portugal boasted their top squad for the match, including world superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. Needless to say the boys were buzzing with the news that the great man would start for Portugal that night and in the process break the all-time men's world record for international appearances. The crowd was fit for the occasion with over 44 thousand fans in attendance in Lisbon. 

My goodness, Ronaldo not disappoint. After a ho-hum first half that saw Portugal lead 1-0 going into the break on a Joao Cancelo goal, CR7 took over the stage. With 44 thousand phones raised up, Ronaldo buried a 51st penalty kick which would've sent the fans home very happy. It was just the beginning, as the all-time legend stood over a free kick just outside the box in the 63rd minute. In signature Ronaldo style, he smashed the free kick home into the right corner to ignite hysteria in every corner of the stadium. Memories of a lifetime for Maryland's players, who were in awe of what they saw. Ronaldo and Penaldo. What a night. 

After excited conversations in the bus ride home and at dinner, the Terps went to their rooms to get their rest before the final match day of the trip. Maryland and Benfica (U-23) was set for a morning kickoff. Following the match, the Terps would head into Lisbon for sightseeing in one of Europe's most historic towns. 

Day Eight (March 24)

It's Friday in Portugal and with it comes the Terps' final match day of the trip. Maryland would face a U-20 squad from Benfica back at the Benfica Campus with kickoff scheduled for 10:30 AM local time. Boasting one of the best academies in the world, any roster Benfica has would serve as tough competition and this team was no different. The club's team included players that played in this year's UEFA Youth League, which is a competition that includes youth sides from clubs participating in the Champions League. Benfica had won the competition last season and had been finalists on two other occasions, but was eliminated in the group stage this year. 

Match Report 

The XI 
Mikah Seger (GK)
Luca Costabile (LB), Kento Abe (LCB), William Kulvik (RCB), Tyler Prebenda (RB)
Alex Nitzl (MF), Joe Suchecki (MF), Justin Harris (MF), Albi Ndrenika (MF)
Colin Griffith (F), Stefan Copetti (F)

The Terps fell to Benfica's youth side by a score of 1-0. The outcome could've been different, but the Terps were unable to convert their four to five very good chances throughout the match. Benfica tallied on a second half penalty and withstood a Terps' surge in the final 15 minutes to secure the victory. 

The match marked the end of the Terps' on field work for the trip. We have to shout out Kento Abe. A classic great program guy who always brings a positive attitude on and off the pitch, the senior hasn't really found a spot for the Terps since his arrival, mainly providing cover for All-American right back Nick Richardson the last few seasons. Kento played center back in these three games and barely put a foot wrong, getting high praise from everybody on the trip. A great reward for a guy that has been waiting in the wings for a chance. We'll surely see him on the field at Ludwig this fall. 

Another fun story from this week, family ties. At the opening match against Vitoria, Luca Costabile was visited by his parents from Denmark who watched the match and spent some time with their son. Justin Harris' father jumped on the team's flight from Washington D.C., and was with the group in Porto before heading back stateside. William Kulvik's parents and Max Riley's father joined the team in Lisbon and were able to watch the Benfica match. What a cool experience for those families. 

The Terps returned to the hotel following the match before heading out on a walking tour of Portugal. Sorry if this space feels like a broken record, but just like Porto, Lisbon is beautiful. Fantastic views and wonderful buildings. Led by a local guide, the Terps walked the streets before climbing up to the São Jorge Castle. Built in the 11th century, the castle is a symbol of power for the city. In current times, it provides amazing views of the Baixa district and the Tagus River. 

Following the walking tour, the group went their separate ways for free time in the city. The staff enjoyed a lovely time at an outdoor restaurant prior to one of the wilder moments of the trip. Your scribe, joined by the previously mentioned Pace, Steinberg and Hoffman along with WorldStrides Head of Sports Program Development and all-time good story teller Eric McAleer, jumped in a "Tuk Tuk" to ride to the next location of fellowship. What is a Tuk Tuk you ask? It is a three-wheeled motorized vehicle that are perfect for navigating the narrow and steep streets of Lisbon. There are apparently about 500 of these things roaming the roads of the Portuguese capital. Prior to the ride beginning, McAleer declared it would be "pretty crazy".

He wasn't wrong. Imagine riding a roller coaster that is swerving through a city between other vehicles with no seatbelt and that's kinda what a Tuk Tuk feels like. It was wild and a bag of pastries were lost in the process (circumstances unclear). All in all, it was a a great day getting acquainted with Lisbon. 

On Saturday, the Terps were set for a tour of the Estádio da Luz, home of Benfica, before beach time and a farewell dinner at a Caparica beach bar. Maryland's time in Portugal was beginning to come to a close. 

Day Nine (March 25)

The Terps' final full day in Portugal has arrived and with it a light day filled with time for pre Sunday flight relaxation. In the morning, the Terps took a quick bus ride into downtown Lisbon for a tour of the home of Benfica, the Estádio da Luz. The biggest stadium in Portugal, it was build in 2003 to replace the old Estádio da Luz, which held over 100,000 people. The stadium, with red seats for its home side's colors, is a beautiful stadium that has played host to a European Championship final and a Champions League final. A guide toured the Terps around the complex, sans our man Pedro, who waited outside because he had "seen the tour a thousand times". The group speculated to Pedro whether it had something to do with his loyalty to Sporting Lisbon, but ever the professional, Pedro wouldn't admit to it. 

Interesting situation in this stadium, it is the home to three bald eagles. The eagle is one of the club's symbols and one of these beautiful birds flies around the stadium and lands at midfield prior to every home kickoff. Crazy stuff. The players took a lot of photos of those birds. 

After the tour, everyone was released for free time prior to the evening's going away dinner. Many spent it on the beach or back in Lisbon to get a more extended look at the city. The group was also buzzing after Maryland Women's Basketball's win in the Sweet 16.

The group departed for dinner at 7:30 and had to venture down a literal dirt road to come upon a cute beach bar along the coast. It was a lovely venue for dinner, which the group swapping stories about the week that was. Sasho stood and spoke to the group about the significance of the trip and gave special plaudits to the players' culture development during the trip and the staff's contribution to a smooth 10 days across the Atlantic. Your scribe greatly enjoyed watching the players enjoy each other's company. As Bob Kim told Jamie Lowell as the group walked to the bus "You'll remember this in 30 years." That feeling was felt by all of Maryland's players as they have created lifelong memories with what has become their second family. It was a fitting sendoff for a memorable trip. 

The journey would come to an end the following day, as the Terps would enjoy some time in Lisbon before a late afternoon flight back to the United States. 

Day 10 (March 26)/Epilogue 

A bittersweet final day as the Terps were set to depart Portugal after a spectacular trip. The group spent some time by the airport at a district of the city constructed for Expo '98, a World's Fair that occurred in Lisbon in... you guessed it, 1998. Final pastries were purchased and views observed as the Expo site sits alongside the Targus River. 

The group then headed to the Lisbon Airport for their flight. The less said about the Lisbon Airport the better, but your scribe may have spoken too soon about final pastries, as the legend himself Bob Kim bought even more in the terminal, just as he had to begin the trip. It was a fitting full circle moment. 

Well, that'll do it. An amazing 10 days in Portugal for Maryland men's soccer. Before some final thoughts, we have to extend some thank you's to three people that made the trip incredibly smooth behind the scenes.

We mentioned McAleer above, the Scottish born, raised and made former professional footballer turned Maryland resident and close friend of Terps men's soccer. The trip was the fourth he had helped the Terps' with, and this one was another winner. As affable as they come, McAleer helped the secure the Terps' three great matches and amazing experiences along the way. He's also not afraid to tell a good story and enjoy a beverage. An honorary Terp through and through. 

Now we turn to the man of Portugal himself, Pedro. The Terps' guide throughout the trip, Pedro was invaluable in making the trip smooth and wonderfully fulfilling on and off the pitch. An all-time good guy, whose passion for telling us about Sporting Lisbon was only surpassed for the smile on his face talking about his wife and two daughters and their house along the coast, Pedro couldn't have represented his home country better. He'd be welcomed like a king if he ever ventured to Ludwig Field. The invitation is open, Pedro. 

Finally, we come to Kerry D. She's only been mentioned once in this blog and that's probably a crime because everything talked about above doesn't happen without her. The Terps' director of operations attacked this trip with a positive attitude and an uncompromising effort to make the experience better for everyone else first before ever caring about herself. The list of all the things she did is too long to list, but your scribe thinks this story sums it up. The day prior to the Terps' game against Benfica, Kerry collected laundry to give to the hotel to wash. The hotel told Kerry they could not guarantee that the laundry would be done the following morning prior to the Terps' 10:30 AM kickoff. Kerry said to herself, "I wasn't going to make these guys wear dirty stuff," and carried two giant duffel bags down the street to a laundry mat where she proceeded to do the laundry herself, with as she described it "some confused onlookers". She never asked for help and never asked for praise, just went and got it done. You're a legend, Kerry D, and your contributions to the trip did not go unnoticed by every single person in the program. 

That act by Kerry D sums up the culture the Terps' were trying to create on this trip. When your scribe summed up the Terps' trip to England, a lot of it was about what the squad was capable of doing. That was a veteran squad coming off a major disappointment that was looking to reset and put the final pieces together to make a legecy defining run. It ended in a national championship.

This group is in a different spot. The Terps' captured the 2022 Big Ten Championship, but going into 2023 have a younger squad that will continue to find itself as it heads into preseason in August. This trip was a huge first piece to that puzzle as the players stood up against tremendous competition on the field and bonded together off it. The Terps didn't win every game on this trip as they did in 2018, but may have learned more about themselves in the process. They found what they were capable of in a complete 90 minutes against Vitoria. They discovered a measuring stick and areas for improvement in a game against a Braga side that was seasoned and motivated. Finally, they saw both sides of the coin against Benfica, the confidence that comes with outplaying a team from one of the most talent youth outfits in the world and the frustration that comes when you don't finish the job. 

More importantly though, the players had experiences together that will bond them for the rest of their lives. Soccer is not forever, but relationships are, and that's what were built in Portugal. That will all pay off on the pitch in 2023, but it will pay off even more when these guys see each other down the road. A special trip for a special program. 

Obrigado, Portugal! Hey Terp Nation, we'll see you at Ludwig this fall.