Turkish sports writer Omer Altay has covered 10 World Cup tournaments on site

By Mustafa Kurt

ANTALYA (AA) - Turkish sports writer Omer Altay is happy to have watched 10 World Cups on five continents, including the one that ended in Qatar.

Altay, 61, who lives in the Alanya district of Antalya, watched his first World Cup in person in Mexico in 1986.

He told Anadolu Agency that his love for the sport started young and he had been at the last four World Cups by using his own means.

"During my college years, the curtain of sports writing opened in my life. In 1986, I was in London and from there I moved to Mexico for the World Cup and joined my newspaper's World Cup team," said Altay. "Since then, I have followed all the World Cup tournaments on site."

He added that he watched 10 World Cups and nine Olympics on site.

- Met legends Pele, Maradona

Altay said he had the opportunity to meet and talk with football legends, including Pele, Cubillas, Beckenbauer, Platini, Fontaine and Maradona during his World Cup travel.

"My most memorable memory was the fantastic goal that Maradona scored from the midfield by dribbling through five English players into (Peter) Shilton's goal in 1986 Mexico," he said. "That goal, which I witnessed at the Aztec Stadium, is the goal of the century and the peak moment in the history of the World Cup."

- 'Morocco made the biggest surprise in 2022 Qatar'

He said the proximity of stadiums to each other and subway connections provided an extraordinary convenience at the World Cup in Qatar. "You could watch three matches on the same day. And I should say I was very impressed with Stadium 974 in Doha," he said.

"Morocco made the biggest surprise of the Cup. Argentina and France made a good match in the final. The goal duel between (Lionel) Messi and (Kylian) Mbappe in the epic final was breathtaking. The World Cup suited Messi very well,” he said.

*Writing by Selcuk Bugra Gokalp