Even by football-fan standards, Mahbub Choudhury is a World Cup fanatic.
While he may resemble a lot of supporters who have dropped everything to travel huge distances to Russia to see FIFA World Cup matches, this Sydney-based accountant has taken things a step further. When he boarded a plane out of Australia this week, he left behind all the material possessions that couldn't fit in two backpacks.
Although Mr Choudhury is originally from Bangladesh -- a cricketing nation that has never participated in a World Cup to date-- he loves football.
When online sales opened for World Cup matches, he said he spent seven hours straight on his computer, trying to secure tickets to any games. In the end he only managed to buy two. Only one of which is to see Brazil play, his favourite team.
"Hopefully Brazil will be in the final and be champion," he told SBS Bangla.
"But I want to see the amazing game of football, doesn’t matter what team it is."
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Mahbub Choudhury. Source: SBS Bangla
By profession, Mr Choudhury is an accountant, but for the past year he has been taking up extra jobs to increase the amount of money he could put aside each week for his trip to Russia.
"Each week I was trying to save $300 - $400 (AUD). For that I had to work 6 days a week, sometimes the whole week," he said.
"This tour cost me around $15,000 - $20,000. I made the plan for World Cup one year before."
Mahbub even left his rented accommodation --and everything in it -- for good when he headed overseas, saying he'll look for somewhere a new place to live when he returns to Sydney in two months time.
"As I am planning for a long trip... there will be some problems but I am ready to face them," he said.
It’s not just the games he hopes to see though; he also plans to visit Europe.
"I want to see the countries which were affected during World War II, especially eastern Europe," he tells SBS Bangla.
After two months Mahbub will return to Sydney and resume his job.
Mahbub is not alone. Some other Bangladeshi expatriates have also flown to Russia for the World Cup for the Quarter final.
Most Bangladeshis are supporting either Brazil or Argentina as their favourite team in the World Cup.
Bangladeshi football fans hoist flags of World Cup playing countries up on their roof-tops to celebrate the 2018 mega tournament to be held in Russia. Source: NurPhoto
