Vicente Conculini quit his job, had never heard of Kansas City, and rated his love for the Argentina national team an 11 out of 10. Then he got on his bike and pedaled 11,000 miles to prove it.
Conculini and his two friends, Miguel Silio and Yamandú Martínez, left their hometown of Gualeguaychú last August. Nine months, sixteen countries, and one mountain range through Bolivia and Peru later, they rolled into Kansas City, Missouri, ahead of the 2026 World Cup — which kicks off Thursday.
From Gualeguaychú to Arrowhead
The trio carried all their summer and winter gear on their bikes for the entire journey. Mexico was a highlight — the sixteenth country on the route — where they stopped to sightsee and document the trip on social media. The Andean crossing was the hardest stretch.
The payoff? Mike Kelly, chair of the Johnson County Board of Commissioners, showed up after they arrived and handed them tickets to Argentina's first group game — against Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium on June 16.
"I think one of the things we're trying to show is the warmth and hospitality that is here, not only in America, but specifically in Kansas City," Kelly told ABC News.
What this means beyond the feel-good story
Argentina enter the tournament as reigning world champions and one of the shorter-priced favorites to lift the trophy again. Stories like this one are a reminder of the weight that carries — these aren't casual supporters flying in for a weekend. These are people who restructured their entire lives around a football team.
Whether that kind of devotion translates into momentum on the pitch is another question entirely. But Algeria on June 16 at Arrowhead will have at least three people in the stands who've earned their seat more than most.
Conculini didn't know what Kansas City was a year ago. He'll know it for the rest of his life.
