The World Cup has always been an ideal opportunity for fans to demonstrate their love for their country in an unconventional way. In the case of Santiago Sánchez Cojedor, however, there may not be a happy ending.
The Spaniard made headlines a few days ago when his relatives declared him missing without a trace, and local media immediately drew attention to his incredible story.
As is clear, the former paratrooper he is diehard Real Madrid fan, walk from Spain to Qatar for the World Cup. The plan is to arrive at his final destination days before the start of the World Cup, having already purchased tickets for all three games of La Furia Roja in the group stage.
He does not fail to inform about his exotic journey with posts on his profile in one of the social networks, but its traces are lost from 2 October. He last turned a few kilometers from the border between Iraq and Iran, which he has to cross.
And it disappears. Her relatives wait until mid-month to alert authorities and publicize the case. The fears are for the worst: that Santiago, always dressed in the uniform of his beloved Real, may have died on Iranian soil.
After the case 3 days ago was taken over by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it became clear today the arsonist is alive. But he finds himself in a difficult situation: he is in Tehran prison, having previously been arrested in the border town of Sakez. Behind the bars is also Santiago’s translator, who accompanied him throughout the journey.
It is still unclear why Santiago was arrested and why the Spanish authorities were not informed.
He may have been arrested for being mistaken for a journalist by local authorities fighting unrest in the region. Others suggest the reason for the arrest may be in the … Real Madrid team. Because, as is known, the emblem of the Spanish football giant’s club has a Christian cross, which may have irritated local authorities.
At the moment there is no information if and when the arsonist and his companion will be released, as well as in what conditions they are. The Spanish Foreign Ministry refused to provide further details as communication with the Iranian authorities is ongoing.
This is not the first exotic trip for the enthusiast, since in 2019 he travel by bicycle in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, where he watched the final of the Spanish Super Cup live between his beloved Real Madrid and city rivals Atletico Madrid.
The relatives’ hopes are that Santiago will return home alive and well. But it is not clear if he still won’t be able to reach the World Cup of his dreams in time, where he will surely be one of the stars in the stands.
