KANSAS CITY, Mo. — When defending World Cup champions Argentina took the field Tuesday, nothing was going to stand in the way of their most devoted supporters — not distance, not cost, and not even the lack of a ticket.
Three fans pedaled nearly 11,000 miles from South America all the way to Kansas City, Missouri — arriving without tickets. Another group made a 20-hour drive, surviving on sandwiches to stretch their budget. Then there’s Daniel Otero, a 73-year-old attending his seventh World Cup, who is spending approximately $100,000 so he and his two sons can follow the team throughout the tournament.
“We are crazy for Argentina,” Otero said. “That’s why we spend so much money to see our country, our national team.”
The dedication paid off as Argentina opened its championship defense with a 3-0 shutout of Algeria. Legendary forward Lionel Messi netted all three goals. With his 39th birthday arriving next week, this could be the final World Cup appearance for the sport’s iconic star.
“Argentina now is like the Chicago Bulls with Michael Jordan,” said Juan Martin, 43, of Buenos Aires, before the match. “In his prime, he had fans around the world. Argentina has fans around the world with Messi.”
Martin plans to spend the next month following the team alongside his girlfriend, 31-year-old Agostina Gomez Uvia, a journey he estimates will run $20,000 apiece. Otero, meanwhile, spent $40,000 on tickets alone.
Otero and his 27-year-old son Franco were struck by the sight of American families also wearing Argentina jerseys bearing Messi’s name.
“I can’t remember an Argentinian team without Messi,” Franco Otero said.
“He changed the game,” added Manuel Valdes, a 29-year-old engineer from Corrientes, Argentina, who made the trip with his father and younger brother. “There’s a before and after in football.”
Outside the stadium, 11-year-old Andre Cornuz of Miami joined his father in setting up an Argentine flag on top of a van before kickoff. Nearby, members of the band Los Sin Entradas — which translates to “Those Without Tickets” — assembled their drums. Fans stopped to take photos in front of the display, which featured a large banner reading “Lio Te Quiero” — “I love you, Lio” — alongside a photo of Messi.
“I have been raised with Messi,” said Andre, whose father is originally from Argentina and who frequently visits family there. “I am very connected to the land.”
The band’s next destination is Dallas, where Argentina plays its next match, and then “wherever it takes us,” Andre said.
Pam Kramer, the chief executive of the Kansas City organizing committee, said she has been amazed by the commitment of Argentina’s supporters this past week — including the three cyclists who arrived without tickets and still found a way into the stadium.
“We had those three Argentine cyclists come here, and they came here without tickets. And the people in Johnson County (Kansas) were like, ‘You know what? We’re fans too. We’re going to make sure you get to a match,’” Kramer said. “And that’s genuine. Nobody is doing it for show. We want people to see what we see, that this place is pretty special.”
Three hours before the opening whistle, fans were already forming lines at the stadium gates, with mounted police officers keeping watch over the crowd. Jorgelina Skorput, 34, of New York City, waited alongside friends after a two-day drive fueled by sandwiches and a stay at an Airbnb an hour outside the city to cut costs.
All in, she estimates the trip set her back $2,000, including an $800 game ticket.
“I felt like this is the only time, the only opportunity I’m going to get to see the World Cup,” said Skorput, who was born in Rosario, Argentina, and came to the United States at age 9. “We’re the last champions.”
