Snapdragon Insiders go behind-the-scenes with Manchester United

We know that, for some Snapdragon Insiders, their passion for tech is only rivaled by their love for football. That’s why we were so excited to bring these two things together and send a few lucky Snapdragon Insiders to visit our partner Manchester United at their home stadium, Old Trafford, in Manchester, England.

You don’t need to be a football fan to appreciate the fun and excitement of a live Premier League match, but our special guests — Ryan (@spintheweedawg on Twitter), Paul (@Geeekystuff on Twitter), Olavo (@olavojunqueira on Instagram), José (@Lechugol on Twitter), and Karl (@KarlConrad on Twitter) — were all massive fans, both of the sport and of Manchester United.

For a once-in-a-lifetime weekend, we took them to Old Trafford where they got a behind-the-scenes look at the stadium, met the team, visited practice at the Carrington training center, and watched a live match. Let’s see what the group had to say about their experience.

What was your reaction when you found out Snapdragon Insiders was sending you to Old Trafford?

Karl: Obviously, I was pretty pumped. I'm a huge Manchester United supporter. I've been following them since I was a kid. Going to a match was a bucket list item for me so when I got the email, I immediately knew I had to go.

Paul: I remember receiving the email — my partner was in the room and I said, “I don’t care what we’ve got planned that day, any plans we had are out the window because I’m going to Old Trafford.” It was a dream come true.

José: When they asked if I wanted to go to England to watch a Manchester United match, I said, “Are you kidding?” I pinched myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. I’m a very, very, very big fan of football. This opportunity is a dream come true. Old Trafford is one of the most iconic stadiums in the world.

Can you describe the experience?

Ryan: Ahead of the weekend, I wasn’t sure what to expect. When we were told we were going to meet the team, that was a big deal. I was impressed with the professionalism and the passion of the whole team, as well as all the staff at the training ground. I loved seeing the training rooms, and all the cups they had won. It was incredible to meet some of the legends like Denis Irwin and Gary Pallister and have a chat with them.

Olavo: The atmosphere in the stands was unbelieve. Plus, we got a tour and got to learn about the history of Old Trafford. Getting lunch with some club legends at the best place in the stadium — this VIP area with a beautiful view — was really cool.

José: We got such a different look than fans normally do. Maybe someday I would have gotten a ticket and flown to see a match but, with Snapdragon Insiders, we got to see so much more. Seeing the Carrington training facility and getting to see the players in a different environment, having our jerseys signed, seeing the empty stadium and getting to go on the pitch — I’m very grateful I had this opportunity to go to the Theatre of Dreams. Plus, I had the opportunity to get involved with a great group of people. I think that one of the most important things we can do as human beings is get to know other people from other parts of the world, and I got to do that with Snapdragon Insiders.

What was your favorite part of the weekend?

Karl: The highlight of the weekend was getting to take a penalty kick, but I think the experience in itself was just such a high. Even if I didn’t take the penalty kick, I could still say that I achieved my bucket list item. The penalty kick was a cherry on top — no one gets to take a penalty kick at Old Trafford, it's unheard of. Even if you spent thousands of dollars to go watch a game, you can't just walk onto the pitch and take a penalty kick in front of a full stadium.

Olavo: Kicking the penalty kick, that was the craziest thing about the trip. I couldn’t believe it when I was chosen. It was a lot of pressure with so many people in this huge crowd, but I scored and it was beautiful.

Paul: It would have to be meeting the players at training. I got to stand next to David de Gea, one of the greatest goalkeepers at Manchester United. But also when we arrived at training and saw all these legendary players emerging, that was one of the greatest moments.

Who were you most excited to meet?

Karl: Honestly, it was cool to meet some of the staff who work behind-the-scenes. They don't really take any credit publicly for the work they do, like the kit manager or the guy that manicures the pitch. You never hear stories about them, but we got to hear about their experiences and see how passionate they are.

Ryan: My fellow Irishman Denis Irwin. As soon as he walked into the room and heard my accent, he came right over to talk to me. We got to chat as we walked along the sideline of the pitch, and he told me about what Old Trafford used to be like before it was modernized.

José: I was excited to meet Denis Irwin. He played for Ireland against Mexico, my country, in the 1994 World Cup. I know some of the players in Mexico who played in that match so it was cool to meet someone on the other side, as an Irish National Team player, and have that connection to him.

Snapdragon Insiders gifted you a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra — what’s your favorite feature?

Karl: Obviously, the cameras. The fact that I recorded my penalty kick with that camera and now that footage exists in 4k — I can show my kids that one day when I'm an old man. Who knows what video footage will look like then or if we'll have stuff implanted into our heads, but the fact that I have such a high-quality piece of content that I can show everyone and that I can fit into my pocket is pretty incredible.

Ryan: The camera with the telephoto lens. I do a lot of street photography, and I like to shoot my subjects farther away from me in their natural state, so the telephoto lens is great. This phone is so versatile in regards to taking those kinds of images that are print quality. The raw images are just fantastic. 

José: The camera and the AI in it that works with the camera. It’s awesome. Whenever my wife and I are trying to take a picture together, she always wants to use my phone because the camera is so much better. And, as someone who likes to handwrite, I really enjoy the stylus.

What one word would you use to describe being a Snapdragon Insider?

Karl: Cool. It’s such a cool value to fans of the brand and it’s cool to see the excitement from everyone. It’s a close-knit community where we’re able to share our passions. Take this trip, for example. I’m from Canada, and we had someone from Brazil, Mexico, England, and we can all come together and connect over our passion for tech — and, of course, our love of football.

Ryan: I’m torn between exclusive and inclusive. It’s exclusive because you get all these amazing opportunities that no one else gets. I’ve gotten experiences — not only at Manchester United, but at the Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii and at product launches in California — that I will remember to the end of my days. But it’s also inclusive because the community itself is so welcoming.

Olavo: Unbelievable. Being a Snapdragon Insider is so amazing that it's unbelievable. I’ve met so many really cool, really smart people who I can talk about a wide range of topics with — technology, phones, photography, whatever.

The guys clearly had an incredible weekend. To see more of the weekend from their POV, check out the video Paul made about his time in Manchester. And if you want the chance to have some of your own amazing experiences with Snapdragon, become a Snapdragon Insider today.

Which part of the weekend do you wish you could have experienced? Head over to Discord and let us know.