6 of the Biggest Super Fans in World Football
Most of us consider ourselves to be committed fans who spend our hard earned money travelling home and away to support our teams. Our weekends are dedicated to football, whilst our weekdays are spent keeping up to date with the latest on the club we so dearly love. Football, football, football; its a way of life.
However, for those of us who consider ourselves to be the aforementioned, there is always a select few who take it one step further. Super fans, as they are more commonly known, out do the normal fan by some distance.
In addition to travelling home and away, they tend to do it with the club's crest inked all over them, that same crest engraved upon their head somewhere, whilst also having the name of 'Mr *insert club name here* after legally changing it in a moment of madness.
Here are six of the biggest super fans in world football...
Speedo Mick
You'd be mental to attend a football game in speedos at the best of times weather wise, or just in general to be honest, but Everton super fan Michael Cullen - or Speedo Mick as he's more commonly known - thinks otherwise.
The budgy-smuggler-wearing Toffee has raised over £100k for charities over the last three years through numerous fundraising activities, including swimming the Channel despite admitting to not being unable to swim.
Mick attends every Everton game home and away in his now iconic blue speedos in wind, rain or snow to raise funds for charity and is a true Goodison Park hero. Nice one, Mick.
John Portsmouth Football Club Westwood
John Westwood, as he was formerly known before he legally added the name of his beloved club, is one of football's most dedicated supporters by a long stretch. The 54-year-old currently has 60 Portsmouth tattoos adorning his body, the club crest shaved into his head, and has 'PFC' engraved on his TEETH.
Westwood can also be seen at Fratton Park with his distinctive hat and blue wig, as well as his hand bell which he uses to represent the 'Pompey Chimes'.
More reservedly, the Pompey fanatic is a bookseller when he isn't passionately backing his club. What can't this man do?
Clovis Acosta Fernandes (Gaucho da Copa)
The late Clovis Acosta Fernandes was one of the most iconic football fans in the world. The 60-year-old was and still is widely recognised as Brazil's biggest fan and attended more than 150 games across 60 countries to watch his beloved Selecao, whilst also being present at seven World Cup finals.
He is best known for the crushing image during Brazil's 7-1 defeat to Germany in 2014 where he was caught clutching onto his replica World Cup trophy in tears. Fernandes later gave the replica to a Germany fan who he told: "Take it to the final. As you can see, it is not easy, but you deserve it, congratulations."
RIP Gaucho da Copa.
Hely Garagozzo
Staggeringly, Venezuelan super fan Hely Garagozzo has attended nine consecutive FIFA World Cup finals dating back to the 1982 edition held in Spain.
The Businessman holds a Guinness World Record title for Most FIFA World Cup tournaments attended by an individual (different editions), and is on record as saying he has travelled over 231,000km to attend World Cup games; equivalent to 5.67 full circumnavigations of the Earth.
Garagozza has spent over 144 hours watching World Cup games, whilst his most expensive ticket purchase was one costing $616 that allowed him entry to the 2014 World Cup semi final between Argentina and Holland. Hely, you're a true football nut.
Dolly Smith and Kitty Thorne
Remarkably, Dolly Smith and Kitty Thorne have both followed their respective clubs, Derby County and Bristol Rovers, for well over half a century passionately through thick and thin.
107-year-old Smith has only ever attended one Rams fixture in her life, a friendly against Birmingham City to mark her 100th birthday, but follows every game on her radio whilst draped in the club's colours.
Thorne, who is 103 years of age, still regularly attends Bristol Rovers' home fixtures and has been going to the Memorial Stadium since 1954.
Whilst Kitty may stand out as the more involved fan, both ladies are recognised as the oldest football fans in the UK and have rightly been commemorated for their efforts by their clubs.
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