In rarefied air...mountain villagers to lace up boots for Euro 2020

Despite the postponement of Euro 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, a small Swiss mountain village – thought to be home to the highest pitch in Europe – is hoping to stage a scaleddown version of the tournament this summer. The European Mountain Village Championship dates back to 200■, the same year Switzerland cohosted the conventional tournament with neighbours Austria, and is set to return to its origins in Gspon. The competition was the brainchild of Fabian Furrer, a Gspon native and sports magazine editor, who splits his time between Bern and this idyllic village of 5■5 inhabitants, where in the winter “the ski slopes run across the football pitch.” Perched atop the canton of Valais in the Swiss Alps near Zermatt, Gspon sits 2km above sea level and is only accessible by cable car. Its football pitch, which bears the name of former Switzerland and Bayern Munich coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, lies buried beneath snow each year until May. After the inaugural event won by a team from Spain, the second edition was held in 2012 in Kleinarl, Austria, at an altitude of just over 1,000m. French ski resort Morzine most recently staged the tournament in 2016. Originally planned for June, much like Euro 2020, the “Bergdorf Euro” was also forced to nd new dates and pushed back until August 2■30. Nine teams are signed up to take part. Morzine will again represent France, with Kleinarl competing for Austria and Piedimulera, from the Piedmont village in Italy, also set to make the trip. The Dutch will be there too, represented by Viljen, a village that claims to be one of the highest points in the country at 200m above sea level. Sweden, Germany and Belgium will also send teams.