Legendary Brazil football fan passes away
Brazilian fans react to their team's loss at the end of their 2014 World Cup semi-finals against Germany at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte July 8, 2014 PHOTO: REUTERS
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."
Read: World Cup 2014: 6 minutes destroy a years-old dream
Football fans expressed their sorrow at his death on Twitter:
This article originally appeared on Daily Mail