{"id":5150,"date":"2026-06-24T06:03:56","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T06:03:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=5150"},"modified":"2026-06-24T06:03:56","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T06:03:56","slug":"meet-caramelo-the-mexico-superfan-attending-his-11th-world-cup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=5150","title":{"rendered":"Meet Caramelo, the Mexico superfan attending his 11th World Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By TALES AZZONI, AP Sports Writer<\/strong><\/p>\n

GUADALAJARA, Mexico (AP) \u2014 Long after Mexico\u2019s World Cup win against South Korea, fans young and old lined up outside the stadium to take photos with H\u00e9ctor Ch\u00e1vez and his big black sombrero.<\/p>\n

Read more Pictures: Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Tennessee<\/a><\/p>\n

Also known as Caramelo, candy in English, Ch\u00e1vez is arguably as well-known in Mexico as the members of the national team.<\/p>\n

He says the game last Thursday in Guadalajara was his 543rd match watching \u201cEl Tri,\u201d which he has followed around the world since Mexico last hosted the World Cup in 1986.<\/p>\n

Now at his 11the World Cup, Ch\u00e1vez is flanked by his 21-year-old son, also called H\u00e9ctor Ch\u00e1vez, and known as Caramelo Jr. Both wear oversized sombreros with their nicknames written in all caps, making them hard to miss at stadiums.<\/p>\n

\u201cMexico has one of the best fan bases in the world, one that travels the most to matches, and one of the most colorful ones in the world, with tradition, identity and pride,\u201d the 64-year-old Ch\u00e1vez told The Associated Press. \u201cI\u2019m very fortunate to be here, with my son by my side in his fifth World Cup, to keep supporting the national team with everything we\u2019ve got.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ch\u00e1vez has become a familiar sight in every stadium where the team plays in Mexico and around the world, including friendlies. He said the first national team match he attended was on Feb. 19, 1986, when Mexico faced the Soviet Union in the country\u2019s capital. His first World Cup match was that same year, on June 3 against Belgium.<\/p>\n

Despite being at another World Cup at home, Ch\u00e1vez said he struggled to make it to the games this time.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cThis has been the most expensive World Cup in history, some of my friends who usually accompany me couldn\u2019t come,\u201d he said. \u201cI had to break the piggy bank, and we are here with the support of our family, because without this support it wouldn\u2019t be possible. The truth is that we\u2019ve worked hard to be here, but finally we made it and we will keep following the national team to the end.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more 2026 NBA draft tracker: List of 1st-round picks<\/a><\/p>\n

Caramelo is popular but also has his critics<\/h4>\n

Despite his popularity, Ch\u00e1vez is not universally loved in Mexico. Critics say he\u2019s getting too much attention and question whether he\u2019s promoting himself or the national team. He\u2019s annoyed some fans by throwing his hat onto the field, including at the game between Colombia and Uzbekistan in Mexico City last week.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, they say that if they are criticizing you, it\u2019s because you are doing something good. We try not to pay too much attention to it. We prefer to hold on to the great support that the fans have shown us in person,\u201d the younger H\u00e9ctor Ch\u00e1vez said.<\/p>\n

Many teams have superfans who attract headlines at World Cups. Spain had Manuel C\u00e1ceres, known as \u201cManolo el del bombo\u201d or \u201cManolo the bass drummer,\u201d who followed the Spanish national team since the 1982 World Cup. He died last year. Brazil\u2019s Cl\u00f3vis Acosta Fernandes, known as the \u201cGa\u00facho Da Copa,\u201d died in 2015.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Congo has Michel Nkuka Mboladinga, who gained fame during the Africa Cup of Nations for posing as a statue of Congo\u2019s assassinated independence hero Patrice Lumumba. He missed the team\u2019s first game at this year\u2019s World Cup but was expected to make it to Tuesday\u2019s match against Colombia.<\/p>\n

Ch\u00e1vez worried that die-hard fans are being priced out of the World Cup, affecting the atmosphere in stadiums.<\/p>\n

\u201cI miss the hardcore fans who follow their teams, who chant and cheer during the whole 90 minutes. Did you notice that they couldn\u2019t even get the wave to work again?\u201d he said after Mexico\u2019s match against South Korea on June 18. \u201cAnd why is that? It\u2019s because we don\u2019t have these fans. And why don\u2019t we have these fans? It\u2019s because they can\u2019t afford these expensive tickets.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more In today\u2019s NBA, when a Giannis-sized opportunity knocks, teams have to take the leap<\/a><\/p>\n

AP World Cup: https:\/\/apnews.com\/FIFA-World-Cup<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

H\u00e9ctor Ch\u00e1vez, known as Caramelo, is a beloved figure among Mexican soccer fans. He has attended 543 matches supporting Mexico’s national team, “El Tri,” since 1986.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5149,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-soccer","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\nMeet Caramelo, the Mexico superfan attending his 11th World Cup - Orlando Relocation Report<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=5150\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Meet Caramelo, the Mexico superfan attending his 11th World Cup - Orlando Relocation Report\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"H\u00e9ctor Ch\u00e1vez, known as Caramelo, is a beloved figure among Mexican soccer fans. 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