Wick High School and Thurso High School made history this week as they became the first ever Trans World groups to tour Atlético Madrid’s new Wanda Metropolitano home.
The 68,000-seater stadium opened for matches in mid-September, but the all-access tour was only launched this week meaning that the students and staff from Wick and Thurso were among the very first members of the public to go behind the scenes.
The tour takes in the brand-new press conference rooms, the dressing rooms and players tunnel. It gives groups the chance to follow in the footsteps of some of the biggest names in world football and take a seat in Diego Simeone’s dugout.
Michael Pentland, Regional Manager of Trans World Educational Experiences, said he was delighted to be able to give the schools the opportunity to be the very first group to witness the wonders of the Metropolitano.
“We are so proud to be able to give students the chance to get up close and personal with the biggest clubs in the world. Atlético have done a tremendous job of creating a behind-the-scenes tour which truly encapsulates what life is like as a player here at the Metropolitano and its brilliant that the students from Wick and Thurso have been among the first to experience it.”
“We are lucky to have a close relationship with the club which has allowed us to give Wick and Thurso access to the tour before any other group. It was certainly one of the highlights of an action-packed trip and something which we hope the students will remember for a long time.” 
The schools were in Madrid as part of a Spanish Football Development tour with Trans World which included training sessions at Real Madrid’s first-team training complex, challenge matches against local opposition, a visit to the headquarters of the Spanish FA and a trip to the Santiago Bernabéu to watch Zinedine Zidane’s side put three goals past Eibar without reply.
Trans World Educational Experiences creates sports journeys that excite, empower and inspire young minds. Our tailor-made sports-education experiences provide a global-perspective, complement and enrich the curriculum, and leave a lasting impact on participants’ future development.
To date, Trans World has successfully delivered more than 2,500 trips for 600 schools across the United Kingdom, Europe, US and the Middle East, giving over 70,000 children and young adults the experience of a lifetime.
h Trans World trip combines professional training, challenge matches and live sport with educational elements such as team building and media education, enabling students to develop their character and enhance their physical and mental skillset through a range of bespoke activities.
