Fan of the Day: Gabriel off to claim his inheritance: The World Cup

Jun 22, 2006, 16:38 GMT

Juan Riquelme (l) of Argentina and Denny Landzaat of the Netherlands fight for the ball during the group C match of the 2006 FIFA World Cup between the Netherlands and Argentina in Frankfurt, Germany, Wednesday 21 June 2006. EPA/RUNGROJ YONGRIT

Frankfurt - There is no other set of fans quite like Argentina's. They believe that the game is won or lost in the stands and that is why they sing for 90 minutes without stopping and with an impressive repertoire of songs to encourage their team.

If there was a fans' World Cup, Argentina would win it hands-down and their star player would be Gabriel.

The 23-year-old from Buenos Aires says: 'I work in a telephone company. I told my boss that there had been a death in the family and had to go to Europe for a month to claim my inheritance. It was a massive lie but missing the World Cup would have driven me crazy.'

And sounding very much like a representative of the country where there are two certainties: Work is hard to come by and football is a religion, he adds: 'Perhaps my bosses were a little bit suspicious but they couldn't prove a thing.

'I showed them my return ticket to Spain. And anyway what would happen if they sacked me when I got back? I would have no regrets. I would do anything for Argentina.'

Gabriel ('please don't write my second name' he says with understandable caution) did not travel alone to Germany. He went with his flag - a sacred and essential piece of equipment for any Argentine fan.

'It's from my club, Independiente' he says. Across the front of the flag is the word 'Colegiales' a neighbourhood in Buenos Aires where the city's third team have their fan base. 'I haven't missed a game in ten years.

'I was lucky enough to see the presentation at Atletico Madrid of Sergio Aguero (star of Independiente who moved to Spain at the start of June) before I left Spain for Germany.' Adds the sports journalism student who would give anything to work ... well almost anything.

Nothing would have stopped him seeing this tournament. 'I come back on the July 10, the day after we win the final', he says.