adminLISBON. – Carlos Brum’s, Portugal’s No.1 adepto (supporter), plans to reach Qatar in his Sprinter Mercedes Benz has hit an Iran visa roadblock forcing the five-time FIFA World Cup veteran to turn back and return to Athens, Greece and explore alternative plans.
The colourful and celebrated football supporter began his 10,500km journey from Portugal on September 20 along with two other colleagues.
He was to reach Qatar at the end of last month, but after waiting anxiously for more than two weeks in Armenia, for his Iranian visa, Brum has had to abandon his road journey to Qatar.
The 64-year-old, nicknamed ‘the Azorean’, has in the past travelled around the world to support Selecao das Quinas and was hoping to be in Qatar to support the Portuguese national team.
He has been to five World Cups, three of those he has attended travelling with his caravan, with a road trip from Portugal to Germany (2006) and the next one to South Africa (2010) also by road and the last World Cup in Russia also travelling by road.
He also attended the 2002 World Cup, the first one held in Asia, and the 2014 showpiece in Brazil, flying these times for a change.
The Portuguese national’s extraordinary globe-trotting record speaks for him.
Has been to 187 countries so far, quite a record. His travel journey began as a 19-year-old in 1977, starting with the African continent followed by the Americas.
The visa denial had left Carlos devastated and crestfallen, which effectively put an end to his road trip to Qatar, the travel document which would have helped him to cross Iran, then Oman and Saudi Arabia, before entering Qatar.
orts of Elisabete Reis, Portugal fan leader in Qatar.”
Carlos is expected to fly to Qatar either on November 17 or 18 while his caravan will be parked in Athens at his friend’s place.
Incidentally, Spanish traveller and football fan Santiago Sanchez Cogedor, who set out to walk from Madrid to Qatar to watch the FIFA World Cup 2022, was allegedly arrested in Iran. – news18.com
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter