Football enthusiast Rod Fardell of Dubbo has embarked on the “trip of a lifetime” to cheer on the Aussies at the FIFA World Cup in Russia.
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The ardent fan of the sport is ticking off a bucket-list item with mate and former Dubbo man Scott Peirce.
They were two of the more than 40,000 spectators to see the Socceroos’ open the campaign against France at the Kazan Arena on Saturday.
Australia suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat, but despite the disappointment, Mr Fardell called it a “brilliant game” with an “amazing atmosphere”.
“We should have at least had a draw, the VAR [video assistant referee] made the crowd go crazy,” Mr Fardell said.
The tourist proudly wearing his yellow and green scarf still hopes to see an Aussie triumph.
He has tickets to Australia versus Denmark at Samara on Thursday, and is “chasing” tickets to the Socceroos’ last group game against Peru in Sochi.
Mr Fardell, a fitness instructor at Dubbo, has had a decades-long involvement with football.
He started playing the sport at under-six level at Dubbo and played senior soccer with Mr Peirce.
This was a pure opportunity to experience a trip of a lifetime with a unique location but amazing world game.
- World Cup spectator from Dubbo Rod Fardell
His love of football also sees him coach his son’s under-eights team, something he’s done for the past few years.
The lure of the 2018 World Cup was too much to resist.
“This was a pure opportunity to experience a trip of a lifetime with a unique location but amazing world game,” Mr Fardell said.
Travelling in host nation Russia has been an experience in itself.
“The atmosphere is very electric, 100,000 people in and around Moscow supporting this competition,” Mr Fardell reported.
“So many nationalities and such a massive language barrier.
“Plus just so much unknown expectations but the Russian people have [been] truly amazing six days in on our trip.”
The pair have been making the most of their time overseas, and during their travels met veteran journalist George Negus.
Posts to social media, often featuring famous Russian landmarks, have been keeping friends back in Dubbo up-to-date on their travels.
Meanwhile football fans in Dubbo gathered together to see Australia take on France on Saturday.