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The primary travelling Argentinian fan — and probably the primary visiting fan full cease — flew into Doha on Might 3 together with his blue-and-white wig, and has been having a blast ever since.
IMAGE: Followers of Argentina speak subsequent to a graffiti of late soccer legend Diego Maradona earlier than the FIFA World Cup qualifier at Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium in Cordoba, Argentina, on February 1. {Photograph}: Marcelo Endelli/Getty Photos
Argentina’s ‘first fan’ reached Qatar six months early
Argentina’s self-styled “first fan” Marcelo Martinez is so eager to see Lionel Messi and group mates on the World Cup that he arrived in Qatar six months early.
The primary travelling Argentinian fan — and probably the primary visiting fan full cease — flew into Doha on Might 3 together with his blue-and-white wig, and has been having a blast ever since.
“Fantastic issues have been taking place,” stated the 54-year-old lawyer, who has discovered loads of Qataris and expatriates sporting Argentina shirts.
“All of them love Messi and Argentina right here.”
Martinez hopes Messi will lastly elevate the trophy at his fifth and closing World Cup finals after successful so many different accolades within the recreation.
Martinez, having loads of time on his palms, was capable of serenade Argentina’s Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes after they visited Doha with Paris St Germain earlier this 12 months.
“I used to be within the door of the resort ready for them, with my Argentinian flag and wig. Somebody got here alongside and requested me what I used to be doing, took my quantity then provided me his home for 2 months, which ended up being three,” he stated.
“I did not must do something, simply take care of his pets whereas he was travelling to Argentina.”
Some native golf equipment have contacted Martinez to ask him to their video games. After one match, fellow Argentinian Sergio Javier Vittor, who performs for Qatar’s Al-Sailiya, gave him his shirt.
A number of thousand Argentinians are anticipated to descend on Qatar for the event beginning subsequent month however not all are having a simple experience.
Engineers Federico Guevara and Justina Aguirre Saraviaandi, each 32, flew to Barcelona on the finish of April, purchased a motorhome and headed for the journey-of-a-lifetime to Qatar.
However they’ve simply discovered they can not drive into Qatar and sleep of their automobile as deliberate, and are interesting to Argentina’s embassy and soccer affiliation for assist.
“We set off with the identical thought, that Qatar was opening its doorways to the world, we checked all of it out,” Guevara stated from a cease in Bulgaria.
“However they modified the principles. We have now tickets, every part sorted out. Then they do that two months earlier than.”
Qatar requires all drivers who hope to deliver autos in after November 1 to use for a particular allow costing $1,370.
Regardless of that subject, Guevara and Saraviaandi had been having fun with the journey so far as it takes them.
“In Croatia, there is a child with a Messi shirt in each little village,” Guevara stated.
“In Montenegro, we obtained misplaced and ended up in a bit avenue, and there was a mural of Diego (Maradona) which stated, ‘Farewell, Golden Child!’
“In the course of Montenegro.”
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