BUENOS AIRES – Emiliano Matrangolo, 39, a business administration graduate in Buenos Aires, is putting everything on the line for the chance to travel to the World Cup in Qatar to cheer on his team Argentina, one of the tournament favourites, and star striker Lionel Messi.

“It’s four years of savings, saving some money every month for this dream, come what may. You stop doing things like buying a car or buying a house,” he told Reuters at a huge barbecue of some 300 Argentinian fans ahead of travelling to Qatar.

“It’s a dream, it’s an infatuation. Many people say look, he spends the money to go to Qatar instead of having 5 per cent of a house. Well, I’m sure (a house) is nice, but I’m going to the World Cup.”

The tournament, likely to be 35-year-old Messi’s last World Cup, starts in 10 days and fans from England to Japan are gearing up to make the trip to the Middle Eastern nation in hopes of glory.

Copa America holders Argentina, who are on a run of 35 unbeaten games, hope to add to their two World Cup triumphs in 1978 and 1986, the latter driven by the genius of the late Diego Maradona, who died in 2020.

They have also been losing finalists thrice, in the inaugural 1930 tournament as well as in 1990 and 2014.

“We have Lionel (Messi) on the pitch and Diego playing in heaven,” fans sang in unison at the barbecue in Sarmiento Park last Sunday, many wearing the blue-white national jersey, holding banners or inked with tattoos of star players.

Such is Argentina’s passion for football that the World Cup remains a priority for some, despite a sluggish economy, painful inflation estimated to hit 100 per cent in 2022 and currency controls that push up the price of travelling overseas.

“Unfortunately, Argentina is going through a moment of crisis, where everything increases in price every month,” said Jonatan Luna, 32, a self-employed worker.

“But one night, I sat down and decided to go to the World Cup because I love the national team. I follow them everywhere in Argentina. It’s my first World Cup and it brought tears to my eyes when I made up my mind.”

However, Luna is also conscious of the financial impact of his decision.

“I know that when I come back I will have the best memories of my life but it could be that I am renting all my life but I don’t care, we have to go to support the team.”

Argentina begin their World Cup campaign against Saudi Arabia on Nov 22. They will also face Mexico and Poland in Group C. REUTERS