PETALING JAYA: For true football lovers, the World Cup is never just another tournament on the calendar.

For businessman Abdul Rashid Shangkotti, 60, it is about passion, hope and unwavering loyalty –almost like a love story.

Hailing from Tanjung Malim, Perak, he said he lived the dream when he was able to see Brazil live at the 2018 World Cup in Spartak Stadium, Russia.

“Watching Brazil play in front of my own eyes with my closest friends beside me was one of the happiest moments of my life.

“That was when I realised football is not just a game. It creates memories that stay with you forever,” he said.

Like every devoted supporter, his journey has also been marked by heartbreak, such as Brazil’s painful quarter-final exits in 2018 against Belgium, and in 2022 against Croatia, as well as the crushing 7-1 semi-final defeat to Germany on home soil in 2014.

He said his admiration for Brazil was shaped by legends like Pele and Ronaldo Nazario, players who made him believe that football could be both art and identity.

“Brazilian football is beautiful because it is played with soul. You do not just watch it for the result, you watch it because it moves you,” he said, adding that he has yet to decide whether to travel to watch the 2026 World Cup this year due to the cost and age.