“IN THIS CLUB, FAMILY IS SACRED.”
HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN IN EUROPE
Usually, we don’t choose our family but rather our friends. In the case of Hearts, the two are one.
For this first European trip of the league phase of the 2024/25 UEFA Conference League to take on Cercle Brugge, more than 3,000 Jambos determined to take full advantage of the diverse and varied pleasures of the capital of the province of West Flanders are migrating to the pubs, the bars and restaurants located in the heart of the city centre.
As we approach the rallying point on the Market, the central square of Bruges, something indescribable, unfathomable floats in the air. A disconcerting scent of fraternity is indeed palpable. The warmth of the Scottish people isn’t an empty word but it goes beyond this nature.
The biggest fan-owned club in the UK, Heart of Midlothian, embodies a sense of unity that resonates deeply, even at the foot of the Belfry of Bruges. For Hearts, football is more than just a sport—it’s a family affair. And in this club, family is sacred.
Transgenerational, the Gorgie Boys’ audience looks like a photo taken at a family reunion. Men, women and children come together to share a slice of life. A joyful, warm and happy slice of life punctuated by a scathing 2-0 defeat.
ALL WORDS AND IMAGES BY THE BRILLIANT GUIREC MUNIER
You can see Guirec’s work on Argentina in Brittany here and his piece on New York Football Club and the twilight of Janstadion.