England football superfan Terry Matson, of Sittingbourne, prepares to jet off for ninth World Cup in Qatar

An England superfan is heading to his ninth World Cup – but amid a ban on beer in stadiums and human rights controversies, it is set to be a tournament like no other.

From Maradona’s Hand of God goal at Mexico '86 to penalty shoot-out agony at Italia '90 and a near-miss in Russia four years ago, Kent bricklayer Terry Matson has seen it all and kept every ticket.

His love of football takes him to Qatar, where Gareth Southgate’s men kick off their Group B campaign against Iran in the capital city of Doha tomorrow (Monday).

He travels more in hope than expectation after years of false dawns since attending his first World Cup in Spain in 1982 – a 21st birthday present from his parents.

“I don’t make predictions any more,” says Terry, 61, who lives in Sittingbourne.

“I haven’t got a clue what’s going to happen. That’s down to Gareth Southgate and the players.

“I could say we’re going to go there with the best squad and we’re going to do this and that, and then you get out there and it never happens like that.

“When you’ve been going to World Cups since 1982, you’ve listened to so many excuses.

“At the end of the day, you’re not good enough, you’re not up for it, or the tactics are all wrong or the manager’s not good enough. That’s normally why you go out.

“I’m going there with no expectations. Let’s just see what happens.”

Over the last 40 years, Terry has been all over globe to roar on the Three Lions but this will be his first time watching them take centre stage in the Arab world.

Qatar is reported to have spent in excess of £185 billion hosting the World Cup, dwarfing the £11.6bn the Russians piled into the tournament.

But as the 32 teams gather in Doha for the football showpiece which starts today the country's human