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- Clovis Fernandes was a man who saw some of the best football players in the world perform on a regular basis. Why? Because he was Brazil’s most dedicated fan. Nicknamed their ‘12th player’, he cheered on the Little Canary in 150 matches, across 60 countries and through seven World Cups, seeing them win it twice, in 1994 and 2002. Also known as the ‘Gaucho da Copa’, he was one of the most recognized superfans in the world, what with his flat black hat covered in badges, walrus moustache and the replica of the World Cup he could be seen cradling on the terraces. “I remember watching Brazil win the World Cup in 1970 as a boy,” he said, “and knew then how much I wanted to be a part of this.”
- As the second-smallest country away in duty this summer, Northern Irish fans are already classed as superfans by definition. However, Lee Brooks and four friends are redefining that term by converting a second-hand caravan into a mobile football unit. The chef is driving hundreds of miles and has already hatched a plan to stop his fellow campers demanding home cooking. "I am a chef, that's why I ripped out the cooker," he said. "I don't want to cook on holiday, I feel I'm already doing enough with the driving.”
- Football has the greatest share of superfans in the world, but not everybody gravitates to the beautiful game. Take Star Wars. Since the release of the first blockbuster movie back in 1977, it has sucked in superfans quicker than a black hole. One example is UAE citizen, Omar Al-Bahiti, who has one of the largest collections of Star Wars memorabilia in the world, his house crammed with action figures, books, props, costumes and artwork from the franchise. He also promotes the good side of the Force by running a charity, using the popularity of the films to raise awareness about all kinds of issues. Then there’s Southampton postman Dave Oldbury, who has amassed £150,000 of memorabilia at his home along with a few tattoos on his body. He even offered fellow fans a chance to find out what it feels like to live a fully-immersed Star Wars life by renting out his house.
- Being a superfan is all about commitment. Just how far are you willing to go? In the case of Moses Kamara, all the way from Sierra Leone in West Africa, more than 3,000 miles away from Manchester. A supporter for 25 years, he was here to watch his very first live Manchester United match as they took part in their last game of the 2016 season at Old Trafford. But there was a problem. The game against Bournemouth had to be postponed due to a bomb scare. Naturally, he was heartbroken. But when his story went viral, a group of Manchester United fans clubbed together so he could stay in the country, not only to see the postponed game but also to witness the Reds beat Crystal Palace in the FA Cup Final.
- The Boss’s dedication to impassioned and energetic live performances, not to mention producing fist-pumping, blue collar classics like Born to Run and Thunder Road, has seen him become a magnet for superfans. In 2013 Ridley Scott even produced a film, Springsteen & I, which was made from the home footage of these superfans. But few could compete with Jeanne Heintz, who at 91-years-old has been to over 100 of his gigs. Bruce is famous for his incredible rapport with the fans, and he recognized Jeanne’s uber-fandom by getting her up on stage to dance with him on three occasions. Given the Boss does three-hour sets, doesn’t she get tired these days? “I could make it through anything with Bruce,” she said. “It could have lasted forever.”
- Know a man by his actions, so they say, and that being the case, it’s pretty clear that John Westwood has a soft spot for Portsmouth Football Club. He began attending matches in 1976, and since then has gradually made his allegiances clear on his body with over 60 tattoos, not to mention the initials PFC engraved on his teeth. Just in case we were left in any doubt, he wears a blue and white stovepipe hat, blue wig and carries a bell to ring the ‘Pompey Chimes’ during games. In 1989, he also changed his name by deed poll to include the name of the club. Oh, and he’s written a book called The True Pompey Fan’s Miscellany. So, yeah, we’d say that just about qualifies him as a superfan.
- Travelling nigh-on 6,000 miles from their respective homes in Osaka and Sanda, Hiroshi Yamashita and his friend Hiroshi Moriyana flew from Japan to watch their team take on Samoa during the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Painting their torsos with the Japanese rugby kit and donning rugby helmets, the pair soon grabbed the attention of neutrals in the crowd. “We paint ourselves like this because it's something different, it's fun,” they confirmed. “It's been great here, the atmosphere is really, really great, people are very kind and they are really enjoying this tournament.”
Every football fan knows you’ve got to take the downs with the ups, and depending on your team, those downs may be far more common than the ups. Ninety-seven-year-old Gladys Kenney has been a Foxes fan for 67 years, during which time she’s seen them relegated nine times. A couple of years ago, poor eyesight meant she finally had to stop going to games, so didn’t get to see Leicester City’s greatest ever achievement - winning the Premier League. But as a proper superfan, she would be honoured in the proper way. Twenty minutes after winning the championship thanks to Chelsea’s draw with Spurs, former player Muzzy Izzet arrived unannounced at her house with the Premier League trophy, and the following weekend she got to join the players out on the pitch as they were formerly presented with it. “The love that Gladys has for the club is phenomenal,” said Muzzy.