KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) 鈥� As to the World Cup stage Tuesday, there was no drive too long and no ticket too pricey for its most fervent fans.
Three fans bicycled nearly 11,000 miles (17,700 kilometers) from South America to Kansas City, Missouri 鈥� without tickets in hand. One group drove 20 hours, living off sandwiches to save money. Daniel Otero, a 73-year-old attending his seventh tournament, is shelling out around $100,000 so he and his two sons can watch the team play over the coming weeks.
鈥淲e are crazy for Argentina,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we spend so much money to see our country, our national team.鈥�
The obsession was on full display in Kansas City as the team made opened its in front of a raucous pro-Argentina crowd. Captaining the team is the legendary Lionel Messi who, turning 39 next week, could be playing in
鈥淎rgentina now is like the Chicago Bulls with Michael Jordan,鈥� said Juan Martin, 43, of Buenos Aires, Argentina. 鈥淚n his prime, he had fans around the world. Argentina has fans around the world with Messi.鈥�
Martin plans to spend the next month following the team with his girlfriend, 31-year-old Agostina Gomez Uvia, a quest that he estimates will cost them $20,000 each. Similarly Otero is spending $40,000 on tickets alone.
Otero and his son, Franco Otero, 27, marveled that U.S. families also were wearing Argentina jerseys, emblazoned with Messi鈥檚 name.
鈥淚 can’t remember an Argentinian team without Messi,鈥� Franco Otero said.
鈥淗e changed the game,鈥� agreed Manuel Valdes, a 29-year-old engineer from Corrientes, Argentina, who traveled to the match with his father and younger brother. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a before and after in football.鈥�
In the parking lot outside the stadium, 11-year-old Andre Cornuz, of Miami, joined his father as he set up a flag atop a van. In front, members of the band Los Sin Entradas (translation: Those Without Tickets) lined up drums. Passersby stopped to pose for photos in front of the display, which included a giant banner that read, 鈥淟io Te Quiero鈥� 鈥� 鈥淚 love you, Lio鈥� 鈥� and a photo of Messi.
鈥淚 have been raised with Messi,鈥� said Andre, whose father is from Argentina and who often travels back to visit his family. 鈥淚 am very connected to the land.鈥�
The band’s next stop is Dallas, where Argentina is playing next, and then 鈥渨herever it takes us,鈥� Andre said.
Pam Kramer, the chief executive of the Kansas City organizing committee, has marveled over the past week at the lengths that Argentina fans have gone to support the three-time World Cup champions, including the trio that cycled their way in time for the opening match.
鈥淲e had those three Argentine cyclists come here, and they came here without tickets. And the people in Johnson County (Kansas) were like, 鈥榊ou know what? We鈥檙e fans too. We鈥檙e going to make sure you get to a match,鈥欌�� Kramer said, 鈥渁nd that鈥檚 genuine. Nobody is doing it for show. We want people to see what we see, that this place is pretty special.鈥�
Three hours before kickoff, fans already were lining up to get into the stadium. Jorgelina Skorput, 34, of New York City, waited with her friends as police officers on horseback patrolled the crowd. They drove two days to get here, munching on sandwiches and staying at an Airbnb an hour out of town because it was cheaper.
All told, she figures the trip cost her $2,000, including the $800 game ticket.
鈥淚 felt like this is the only time, the only opportunity I鈥檓 going to get to see the World Cup,鈥� said Skorput, who was born in Rosario, Argentina, and moved to the U.S. when she was 9. 鈥淲e鈥檙e the last champions.鈥�
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AP Sports Writer David Skretta contributed to this report.
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