It’s no surprise that Spain were agitated in the European Cup final, where La Roja won their fourth continental title. Yes, the tremors can be understood both symbolically and literally. CSIC data shows Madrid and Barcelona shaking as Nico Williams scored Spain’s first goal and Mikel Oyarzabal put La Roja ahead once again in the 86th minute. Tremors are used here in a scientific and objective way, in the truest sense of the word. One that can be reflected on CSIC seismometers.

If football increases passions… according to the Richter scale too.

Two small earthquakes? No. Two great goals. That’s what the seismometers of the National Geographic Institute (IGN) and the Institute of Cartography and Geology of Catalonia (ICGC) recorded on Sunday afternoon. Data processed by seismologist Jordi Díaz of Geosciences Barcelona (GEO3BCN-CSIC) show that sensors in both the capital and Barcelona recorded tremors at two very specific times on Sunday night: the first after 22:00; the second, around 22:45. Each coincided with the goal of La Roja.

Two peaks and a final blow. The series of shocks will be significant for those following Sunday’s final. The first coincides with Nico Williams’ 47th-minute goal; the second, Mikel Oyarzabal’s 86th-minute equaliser that allowed Spain to chase their dream of a fourth European title. The peaks that began to form soon afterwards mirror the celebrations at the end of the match, with fans taking to the squares to celebrate the trophy.

When the squares flicker. GEO3BCN-CSIC graphics are the most meaningful evidence of how every goal of the National Team is celebrated and how these celebrations literally shake the grounds of the two most populous cities of the country.

In Barcelona, ​​the tremors were recorded by the ICGC seismometer located at Portal del Àngel, just 100 metres from Plaza Catalunya, where fans gather. In Madrid, the measurements were provided by the IGN seismometer of the Royal Observatory of Madrid, less than two kilometres from Plaza Colón, another major meeting point. New peaks were even visible after the match, indicating celebrations, as Diaz noted.

Fascinating yes; rare, no. The shaking of the Madrid and Barcelona pitches with La Roja’s goals is fascinating, but it’s not the first time seismometers have captured Spain’s passion for football. In May 2015, a sensor installed at the entrance to the Institut de Ciègency de la Terra Jaume Almera, just a few hundred metres from Camp Nou, already surprised fans by capturing Messi’s goals with astonishing accuracy. In March 2017, the same setup recorded Blaugrana fans’ reactions to each of the six goals scored against PSG in their home stadium.

GEO3BCN-CSIC uses terms like “tremor” or “vibration,” and doesn’t really talk about earthquakes, but the clarity of its graphs and how each peak matches Nico Williams and Oyarzabal’s goals are fascinating. They recall from the University of A Coruña (UDC) that tremors with a magnitude of less than 3.5 on the Richter scale can be recorded but are usually not felt.

Passion for football… and music. “The ground can vibrate for various reasons: earthquakes, cars passing by, explosions, construction sites… ground vibrations nearby,” Jordi Díaz explained in 2017. In fact, their sensors don’t just capture football excitement.

In London, geophysicists at UCL recently conducted an experiment with seismometers that detected tremors related to the Taylor Swift concert at Wembley Park. A similar situation occurred in Edinburgh, where seismographic equipment was able to measure them from six kilometres away.

Images | GEO3BCN-CSIC and Cabezdeturco (Flickr)

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