Colombian couple’s football fever sees them travel thousands of kilometers to experience World Cup

There are two things most Colombians cherish in life — church and football.

Living up to that adage, Dr. Ivan Jimenez and his wife, pharmacist Erica Marin, set out on a journey all the way from their home city of Medellin, via Madrid and Dubai, to experience the World Cup in Qatar.

That Colombia had missed out on qualification, did not stop the couple from embarking on the trip. They are die-hard sports fans, having traveled to the Olympics and the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

“When the World Cup happens, the energy is different and better. It gets people together, there is happiness,” Marin told Arab News. Her husband added that whatever the social standing of people, “we share this excitement of sports.”

This was their first visit to the Gulf region, which included trips to Jerusalem and Cairo. It was an eye-opening, learning experience. “We came not only for sports, but also for a touch of culture,” said Jimenez.

“In Dubai, what surprised me was how organized everything is. It’s a well-designed city,” added Marin. “Unfortunately, in Colombia, we have natural resources which we don’t take advantage of because we are not well-organized.”

They were so keen on visiting Doha that they started planning everything, including booking of flights, a year ago. To secure the coveted match tickets, they registered on FIFA’s website, where a raffle was held and names eventually selected. Jimenez and Marin were lucky to be chosen, paying nearly $500 per ticket.

“That was difficult,” recalled Jimenez. “To get the visa in Qatar, we had to have a ticket. We struggled for one or two months to get the tickets.”

During their flights on their way to Qatar, they encountered fellow cheerful South Americans from Argentina and Uruguay,