October 18th, a date I’ll never forget.
It was my very first contact with anything related to my master’s program in Sports Communication and Journalism, and what a way to begin, at the Ciudad Deportiva del Real Madrid in Valdebebas.

We were supposed to meet at 10:30 a.m., and as clumsy as I can be, I somehow managed to get lost in Madrid’s maze of public transport. But thankfully, I made it just in time. A few of my future classmates were already there, and we waited together inside the press conference room, quietly buzzing with excitement.

Then, the curtains opened, and that moment marked, for me, the true beginning of Douae Inside the Game.

We stepped onto the balcony overlooking the training field, and for about fifteen minutes, I watched the Real Madrid first team train right in front of me. It was my first time ever attending a professional training session, and not just any team, Real Madrid. Watching the players move, laugh, and prepare under the crisp morning light felt surreal. I had seen these moments so many times on TV, but standing there, actually witnessing it live, felt completely different. It was one of those moments where everything you’ve dreamed of starts to feel real.

After that, we attended the press conference of Real Madrid’s coach, Xabi Alonso, who shared his thoughts ahead of the upcoming game against Getafe. It was fascinating to observe the journalists at work, how they asked their questions, how the press conference flowed, and how everything was organized behind the cameras. I’d watched so many of these press conferences from my screen, but being there in person showed me the rhythm, coordination, and energy that never comes through on TV.

Funny enough, this wasn’t my first time at Ciudad Real Madrid. I had visited it once as a 14-year-old fan, full of excitement just to stand near where my favorite players trained. But this time, it felt completely different. This time, I wasn’t just a fan, I was there as a future journalist.

That day marked the beginning of a new chapter for me, a new way of seeing the game, understanding the stories behind it, and slowly finding my place inside the world I’ve loved since I was a little girl.