Denver and Jaden Igarta had an unforgettable weekend after winning bundesliga.com's #mostexcitingexport competition - © © DFL DEUTSCHE FUSSBALL LIGA
Denver and Jaden Igarta had an unforgettable weekend after winning bundesliga.com's #mostexcitingexport competition - © © DFL DEUTSCHE FUSSBALL LIGA

#mostexcitingexport winner's grand day out

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Munich - 'Find out what all the Fuss is about. Watch Bundesliga' - the winning submission for the #mostexcitingexport competition and 10 words that won Denver Igarta, a die-hard Borussia Dortmund fan, the ultimate Bundesliga experience at Der Klassiker on Matchday 8.

How it all began

With two tickets for the blockbuster fixture in their back pockets, Denver and his son Jaden made the trip from Portland, Oregon to Munich for a once-in-a-lifetime outing. Not only did they have time to visit the Oktoberfest, but they also got to step in front of the camera for pre-game interviews, meet Jens Lehmann and, of course, take in FC Bayern München's 5-1 win over Dortmund at the Allianz Arena. Here's how it all went down...

Denver first fell in love with the German top flight during his time at the University of Dortmund. "On the weekends, I could hear the roar from the stadium outside our small downtown flat. It was difficult to follow my favorite basketball, baseball and football teams, so I tuned in to the Bundesliga. I was hooked immediately."

Like father, like son

Denver has also passed on his love of the Bundesliga to his son, who was with him every step of the way for the trip to the Bavarian capital. "Like me, Jaden has developed a passion for the Bundesliga. The fever is contagious. When he was small my son often wore FC Bayern jerseys - gifts from family in Munich. In recent years, he's become a die-hard BVB fan and skilled youth soccer player himself."

Goody bag

Winning a bundesliga.com competition also comes with a few added perks alongside the grand prize.

Out en masse

The timing could not have been better for the two to make the most of their two-day getaway, as the Oktoberfest had entered it's final weekend upon their arrival. Saturday also happened to be Tag der Deutschen Einheit - the anniversary of German reunification - which meant there were plenty of reasons to celebrate on the day before the big game.

The time had come

The following morning came the real reason they had travelled 8,697 km to cross the Atlantic: it was time for Der Klassiker and both Denver and Jaden were at the Allianz Arena with plenty of time to spare to soak up the atmosphere as the big kick-off approached.

Meeting a legend and more...

Denver took part in a television interview outside the stadium, but it was inside the stadium that the real magic happened. He and Jaden were given pitchside access before kick-off, where they met former Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper and co-commentator for the Bundesliga world feed, Jens Lehmann, whom Denver remembers fondly.

"When I returned to America, I had a passion for the Bundesliga but no way to watch the games on a regular basis. So I started to watch the English Premier League and chose to follow Arsenal FC, which had just picked up two former BVB players – Tomas Rosicky and Jens Lehmann." Quite a moment for him then!

No spoiling the party

While the 5-1 result may not have gone the way of his beloved Borussia, it did little to put a dampener on his overall experience.