The crazy stories of what people will do to see their team is usually reserved for the folklore of fanbases and occasionally the papers, but rarely is a footballer the one involved.
On Thursday Iker Muniain revealed a bizarre and brilliant story on Movistar+ programme Cero. The celebrity guests were asked if they had ever disguised themselves so they wouldn’t be recognised and Muniain was forced to admit he had.
A self-professed big River Plate fan, Muniain was desperate to see the 2018 Copa Libertadores final between the El Millionario and Boca Juniors. The only issue being he was stuck in a hotel with Athletic Club the night before a game.
Gracias por compartir esta anécdota de 2018 con nosotros, @IkerMuniain10 😂 #MartínezYHermanos pic.twitter.com/8petbL0eTt
— #0 por Movistar Plus+ (@cero) July 14, 2022
As Muniain tells it, the atmosphere at Athletic was bad and they were in the relegation places, but in his desperation, he and a friend decided to hire a van to drive down to Madrid. Using a wig and glasses, Muniain slipped out of the hotel. After arriving at the stadium, a policeman almost picked up on his real identity, but couldn’t quite place his face.
Better yet, the following day Muniain came off the bench and won a penalty, in turn securing the three points in a 1-0 victory over Girona.
Every now and then a crack in the squeaky clean public persona of many footballers is revealed and the world is all the better for it.
