Argentines forsake buying homes to see Messi play in World Cup

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - World Cup - Group D - Nigeria vs Argentina - Saint Petersburg Stadium, Saint Petersburg, Russia - June 26, 2018 Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Sergio Perez/File Photo

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Emiliano Matrangolo, 39, a business administration graduate in Buenos Aires, is putting everything on the line for the chance to travel to the soccer World Cup in Qatar to cheer on his team, one of the tournament favorites, and star striker Lionel Messi.

"It's four years of savings, saving some money every month for this dream come what may. You stop doing things like buying a car or buying a house," Matrangolo told Reuters at a huge barbecue of some 300 Argentine fans ahead of traveling to Qatar.