An image of an elderly Argentinian man watching his side’s World Cup semi-final win from a fold-out chair outside an electronics store has captured the hearts of people around the world.
Carlos Bejar, 83, became a social media sensation after a passer-by snapped a photo of him staring intently at the TV from his roadside vantage point during Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Croatia.
The image, taken near the Argentinian capital of Buenos Aires, quickly went viral as thousands of fans campaigned to get him his own TV for next Monday’s World Cup final against France.
Tagging electronics store Frávega, Twitter user @todaboluda, who posted the original photo, wrote: “I need us to give him a TV. come on @fravegaonline.”
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Her message and photo was then retweeted more than 5,000 times, before Frávega capitalised on the opportunity by offering the man a free wide-screen TV.
“We write to you privately so you can help us contact him. We want him to watch the final with a new TV,” the electronics store wrote.
Soon after a video emerged of an ecstatic Carlos receiving a 55-inch TV from the Frávega store.
He later told local reporters that he likes to watch the football from outside the TV store as he doesn’t have cable TV and the store is only 40 metres from his house.
“It has a super big screen, it has an advantage, it’s like being on the field,” he said.
While revealing most of his friends had passed away, Carlos said he prefers watching the games by himself anyway.
Carlos also said the fold-out chair he sits on during the games was once owned by his mother and now brings him luck.
In a surprising twist, Carlos told reporters he still plans to watch the World Cup final from outside the electronics store despite the new addition to his lounge room.
