Legendary Brazil football fan passes away

FIFA, German national football team and fans take to social media to mourn his death

Iconic Brazil football team fan, Clovis Acosta Fernandes, who shot to fame at the 2014 world cup, passed away at the age of 60, after a long battle with cancer.

Fernandes had gained worldwide fame at the 2014 world cup match between Germany and Brazil when he had been spotted with a replica of the World Cup trophy as tears filled his eyes. Brazil had lost poorly with Germany scoring seven against Brazil’s one.

Read: Seven star Germany smash Brazil's World Cup dream

The Brazilian had soon become the face of heartbroken fans after his photos began doing the rounds on social media. Other Brazil fans began taking selfies with him, making him a celebrity.

Fernandes was a die-hard fan of his team, having followed them since 1990 when he quit his job as a restaurant pizza manager. Such was his devotion to his team that even his wife could not hold him back and gave him permission to pursue his dream of watching his team play.

He went on to attend seven World Cups and visited more than 60 countries during his time as a Brazil super fan.

Along with football fans all over the world, even FIFA and the German national football team took to social media to mourn his death.

FIFA posted on Instagram and stated, "Football today lost one of its most symbolic all-time supporters".

https://instagram.com/p/7sjp-cnwDi/?taken-by=fifaworldcup

The German football tweeted, "His emotion after last year's semi-final moved us all."

His emotion after last year's semi-final moved us all. Rest in peace, Clovis Acosta Fernandes. #RIP #ClovisAcosta pic.twitter.com/XoLecTrFTa

— German Football (@DFB_Team_EN) September 16, 2015

Read: World Cup 2014: 6 minutes destroy a years-old dream

Football fans expressed their sorrow at his death on Twitter:

R.I.P #ClovisAcosta güzel adamdı... pic.twitter.com/PJ2UeLhQAj

— Taylandinho (@tsaygili) September 17, 2015

https://twitter.com/julianluna10_/status/644269661484249089

https://twitter.com/Mohamed_tottie/status/644205441484988416

R.I.P. Clovis Acosta Fernandez the most dedicated Brazil fan #ClovisAcosta pic.twitter.com/Jlm0mg7FZG

— Walker Herrold (@walker_herrold) September 16, 2015

Once a football fan, always a football fan. Rip #ClovisAcosta

— nmpmj (@munifahputri) September 16, 2015

#FairPlay Price for #clovisacosta #WM2014 #fairplay2014 #Brazil pic.twitter.com/nzkOiAEIaJ

— Anna Kirchmair (@_rainbow_fish_) July 10, 2014

This article originally appeared on Daily Mail