Born in 1924, Tran Hop, a native of Duc Tho District in the Vietnamese province of Ha Tinh, traveled over 10,000 kilometers to Moscow, becoming the oldest fan at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
“It’s already plenty of joy, to be able to visit my children here. Now I am even a spectator at the world’s biggest football tournament,” Hop said.
As reported by Tuoi Tre, 20 members of Hop’s extended family currently live in Russia, making it a country he holds dear to his heart.
“Back in Vietnam, I am always in front of the TV when there is a football match to be broadcasted,” added Hop.
Following his arrival in Moscow, one of the first places Hop’s children took him to was a Fan ID center, before eventually going to watch Portugal play Morocco on June 20.
“In the past years, he has been to Russia to visit his children. This time it is special because he can also watch football. Given his advanced age, we have to be careful and prioritize caring for him,” shared Tran Quoc Luong, Hop’s son.
The 21st installment of the FIFA World Cup takes place from June 14 to July 15 in Russia. As VTV reports, more than two million international fans arrived in the country during its first week. Among them are hundreds of Vietnamese, in addition to a sizable community of Russia-based Vietnamese football fans.
