Carlos Pascual
, better known as
"El Tula" never missed
a World Cup event, from Germany 1974 to Qatar 2022, and the last adventure as a fan of the man who died at the
age of 82
was receiving The Best award from FIFA, as
recognition of the best fans in the world
.
After "passing the cap" to be in their last World Cup, after the World Cup won by Messi, Scaloni and company, Tula was chosen to receive The Best award for Best Fans, representing millions of Argentines.
That night at the end of February in Paris, he added a personal star to his long history and even
made Gianni Infantino
, the president of FIFA, laugh.
Tula made endless trips on
boats, planes and trains
, visited more than a dozen countries and even appeared in a video clip of the official song of Brazil 2014. And all of this,
without speaking any language other than Spanish
, just counting anecdotes with Juan Domingo Perón and Diego Maradona.
Carlos "Tula" Pascual with the award for best fan in the world.
Reuters Photo
"I'm very happy because
we won all the awards
," was the first thing he said on the Paris stage, standing in front of the eyes of Lionel Messi himself who, minutes later, would speak out for winning the award for best footballer after the title in Qatar. .
That night, Tula broke protocol and went ahead to declare him the winner
.
"I, as a fan, am
the first hype in the history of world football
since Germany '74. Since that historic day I have been in all the World Cups, the Copa América, and I have toured the world. The satisfaction that Argentina gave me as a fan of "Football
is priceless
," he highlighted.
"I was in the three World Cups that we were champions. But this is exciting.
I am poor, but I have traveled all over the world
," he launched and generated a smile from Lionel Scaloni, who watched him from the stands.
And the approval of
his unexpected promoter: "Chiqui" Tapia,
boss of the AFA.
🇦🇷 #TheBest FIFA Fan Award 2022 goes to the Argentinian fans!
pic.twitter.com/ClFdracE3q
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) February 27, 2023
"I would like to send a greeting to all the fans in the world because the passion for football is impressive. And the
passion of us, Argentines, too
. I am just another fan who comes to represent the thousands who were cheering for our team. And the millions of Argentines who were celebrating Argentina's triumph," he highlighted.
And he concluded: "
Argentina was a little sad
and you,
guys
from the National Team, brought immense joy to the people... I'm excited."
Before the gaze of those who accompanied him on stage and the complicity of the Argentines in the room, Tula ended up playing the National Team's anthem ("Let's go, let's go...") and "Argentina, Argentina."
Of course, all accompanied by
the sound of
his or her bomb.
Tula, a World Cup history
Some time before Qatar, the most famous fan of the National Team
asked for a sponsor for his drum, to be able to pay for the trip to Arab land, without knowing that this would be his last World Cup
.
"God willing, I will be in Qatar. I have always been and I don't want to miss it," he assured
Clarín
in July 2022 , in a candy store in Lomas de Zamora that he usually frequents because he lives two blocks away.
"I come here because they make a price for me, I don't have money. I
am a search engine
who is always in contact with people. Their affection is very important," he said at that time.
At that time he said that the reality is that
he did not know how to go to Qatar
.
"I don't have money and I don't know how to speak languages. But God accompanies me and is with me. Imagine that I have already played 12 World Cups and I never had money. I always find someone who supports me. For example, I was in Russia and
a Russian helped me
, and I hope that now someone will support me again," he had said at that time.
The Tula and the bass drums, the instrument that made him known in the world.
"Lastly, I sell the bass drum
," he laughed, in a move he didn't need to travel.
"The truth is that to travel there it would be very important that someone could advertise in the hype and, thus, finance the trip. Honestly, I want a sponsor for the hype. Also, anyone who wants to advertise
with me
(in the hype)
is fine a lot because I am very famous
and I go out everywhere. It would be very important," he sold himself.
Tula said that he kept the bass drum at his house, in the museum.
"In fact, I have
the bass drum museum!
I still have the autographed one that Perón gave me, which is historic, also the first one I took to Germany '74," he highlighted.
Beyond appearing on international television programs, appearing on the covers of newspapers and magazines of the time and in different articles about World Cups, Tula
began its love with soccer in Rosario Central
.
The team of which he is a fan.
El Tula, upon receiving the The Best award Photo Franck Fife/AFP
"My first bass drum, which was the one I played on the Rosario Central field, I gave to General Perón. Later, I had another one that was stolen from me. There were several. But the one from Germany 74 is pure history because of everything that was experienced in that tournament," he said.
And he described his first World Cup experience: "Everything is a great memory. I hitchhiked on a boat with the hype. I went to Madrid, where I already knew from having had a meeting with Perón. Afterwards, I had to go to the border with France and from there to Germany."
"I am the first hype man in the history of football," said Tula.
Now he will be the first to sound in the sky.