Three Lions embark on epic Walk to the World Cup

Saturday 29 Mar 2014
The three fans set off at the beginning of March

For the majority of those travelling to the World Cup in Brazil the journey will involve a long flight or two, but for three England fans who are literally walking to the World Cup, their journey will be considerably longer. 

Adam Burns, David Bewick and Pete Johnston are currently embarking on a mammoth walking 1966km from Mendoza in Argentina to Porto Alegre in Brazil.

The trio set off from the Estadio Bautista Gargintini in Mendoza - home to Argentinian football team Club Sportivo Independiente Rivadavia - on a 100-day trek finishing on the pitch of the Estádio Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre, one of the 12 World Cup venues in Brazil.

The trio are trying to raise £20,000 for the J de V Arts Care Trust. 

The money will enable the charity to build a water well in Bahia, north-east Brazil, a place which is suffering the worst drought in over 50 years. 

Adam, David and Pete are walking 1966km to Brazil

Adam, David and Pete are walking from Mendoza to Porto Alegre

Three weeks into their journey and having covered 350 miles, they have already spent three days walking through the Argentine desert, charged by bulls, slept in two abandoned train stations, apprehended by the police three times and played in five football matches with local kids, losing twice and winning on three occasions.

“We are three weeks in and it is already the most physically demanding thing any of us have ever done. 

"On day three we completed our first ever marathon in temperatures reaching 33 degrees. 

"The three days in the desert were by the far the hardest so far, there was no shade, we had to contend with snakes, tarantulas, giant mosquitos and sleep in abandoned train stations,” said Adam Burns.

Walk to the World Cup has already garnered support from the sporting community with tweets of good luck wishes from Richard Keys, Micky Quinn, Michael Duberry and Jason Cundy. 

The boys were even sent video messages from England legends Alan Shearer and John Barnes.

The journey will take them through three countries, 29 towns and villages and across a varied and challenging environment in a trek measuring a staggering 1966km, a number that holds great significance to England football fans.

“The locals in Argentina have been incredibly generous, every day we have been given free food and drink, offered free accommodation and given helpful advice about our route. 

"Argentina is football mad and there is a football pitch around every corner, so we have been having plenty of kickabouts and discussing predictions for the World Cup with the locals, naturally the Argentines are pretty confident,” added Pete Johnston.

“We are three weeks in and it is already the most physically demanding thing any of us have ever done”

Adam Burns 

The third lion, David Bewick, added: “We are three die hard England fans who are desperate to see England play in the World Cup in Brazil, but we also see the World Cup as an opportunity to do some good and help a very worthy cause like the J de V Arts Care Trust, a charity which is very close to our hearts.

“The drought in North East Brazil has already effected 10 million people and in Bahia, one million head of cattle, the equivalent of half the regions cattle herd have perished," added Adam Burns.

The lads are also appealing for like-minded football fans to join their World Cup pilgrimage and welcome any football fan from countries around the world to join Walk to the World Cup by emailing them at walktotheworldcup@gmail.com.

“We’d love to have one fan from each qualifying nation to join us on our walk, to share our experiences and to show that football is a global language that can unite a from any walk of life," added Pete Johnston.

Click here to visit the trio's JustGiving page, and make a donation.

By FA Staff