A dream has been made – and then broken – for Ben King, 27, a Portsmouth chef who's traded in his apron for a ticket to the World Cup. The England fan, so fired up by his team's prospects that he quit his job in Texas, is now reaping the rewards of his reckless abandon.
Just three months ago, King made the initial cut, securing a new role that would've allowed him to return to Blighty after the Three Lions' opening match against Croatia. But this wasn't enough – the die-hard fan wanted more. He bade farewell to his current gig and extended his stay in Dallas Fort Worth, saying simply, “It's got to be done.”
He's not alone in his crusade; friend Joe Parrott, 28, has joined him on this wild ride, proclaiming the lure of US shores irresistible. But while enthusiasm reigns supreme, reality bites hard – match tickets are a jaw-dropping £1,200+, and they're still to be had.
The duo's calculations tell a sobering tale: £900 for flights is steep, but it's the resale value of those precious game-day passes that'll leave you reeling. The prospect of shelling out such a small fortune simply to get in the door has the group – and many others like them – wondering if the price of progress is just too high.
Argentina's fixture was an especially hard sell, what with ticket prices reaching stratospheric heights. Ben's mate Sam Parrott, 25, concurred: it's not the Stateside prices that are the issue; it's those outrageous match-day costs that make life a living hell for fans.
As England gears up to take on the world, Ben and Joe know they'll be cheering their team on with all their might. Despite the financial fray, these die-hard supporters won't let their wallets get in the way of backing their beloved Three Lions – come what may, the England spirit will prevail.