Portuguese fan arrives in Russia by bicycle

Moscow, June 18 (IANS) Portuguese football fan Elder Batista has travelled 4,640 km by bicycle over 44 days to attend matches of the FIFA World Cup and collect money for a charity fund, he wrote on his Facebook page.

"After the Portuguese team's victory at the 2016 European Football Championship I decided that I would come for the World Cup in Russia by bicycle. During the journey I plan to raise money for a charity fund in my native town Alenquer. I will start by journey from there," Batista said ahead of the trip, reports Tass news agency.

On Monday, the Portuguese fan reached the Russian capital and wrapped up his journey. "Moscow, I have come," Batista wrote on his Facebook page in Russian.

The journey began on May 6, 2018. Over the past 44 days Batista traveled 4,640 km and visited eight countries -- Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Russia.

During the World Cup the Portuguese team will face Morocco (at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium on June 20), and Iran (in Saransk on June 25). On Friday, the match between Portugal and Spain ended in a 3-3 draw.

(This story has not been edited by Social News XYZ staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)