A Mexican soccer fan pulled off an almighty deception after he told his wife he was going to a convenience store to buy some cigarettes, and instead journeyed all the way to Russia to watch the Mexican men’s national team in action at the FIFA Confederations Cup tournament.
After selling the smokescreen to his better half, Arturo Garcia quickly packed his belongings, he told Russian sports website Sports.ru, before driving from the city of Puebla to Mexico City, where he hopped on a flight to Germany before eventually making his way to Russia.
READ MORE: U.K. prosecutors charge 6, including a police commander, in 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster
Garcia’s footballing pilgrimage was made all the more audacious by the fact that he spent his life savings on the trip, and even snapped a tendon in his foot during his stopover in the German city of Wolfsburg, leaving him to endure the final leg of his journey to Russia on crutches — after he nearly missed his flight due to a heavy downpour that crippled Wolfsburg’s public transportation.
Having negotiated marital roadblocks, financial considerations, bodily injuries and the weather, Garcia finally made it to the city of Kazan, where he took in all of his beloved Mexico’s group-stage matches. He pledged to remain in Russia as long as Mexico remained contenders in the tournament.
READ MORE: Russian developers troll English soccer fans with robot to protect them at 2018 World Cup
The team affectionately known to its fans as El Tri (the Tri, or the Tricolour) played its last match Sunday, losing to Portugal in the third-place match. Germany took the trophy after defeating Chile 1-0 in the final.
It’s reported that Garcia’s wife has since learned of his transgressions, and it remains to be seen if the super-fan will be shown a red card by his missus upon his return home.
Comments