Brazilian Drives His Beetle Across the Americas to See World Cup

Image: Guilherme Martins standing beside his blue Volkswagen Beetle.

Some Brazilian fans are so determined to see the World Cup in the United States that they’re willing to cross an entire continent to get there — literally. One of them is Guilherme Martins, who is traveling from Porto Alegre to the U.S. in a classic Volkswagen Beetle.

His journey, documented online, has captured attention for its mix of adventure, passion, and perseverance.

Guilherme is no stranger to long road trips. He has already driven his Beetle across Latin America to follow his favorite soccer team, Grêmio. But with the World Cup approaching, he traded the club’s blue jersey for Brazil’s green and yellow and set a new mission: reach the United States in time to watch the national team play.

What he didn’t expect was how challenging the trip would be. He spends his days on the road and his nights sleeping inside the car — a routine that demands resilience and creativity.

Guilherme is currently in Colombia, heading toward Cali. From there, he plans to continue to Panama, where his Beetle will be shipped in a container to bypass the Darién Gap. Once reunited with the car, he’ll continue driving north toward U.S. territory. The effort, he says, is rewarded by the incredible landscapes he sees along the way.

His goal is to arrive in New York on May 25. But there’s a twist: despite the massive journey, Guilherme doesn’t even have a ticket to the match. He recently discovered that World Cup ticket prices are the highest ever recorded.

Still, he refuses to be discouraged. Even if he can’t get inside the stadium, he says the adventure itself — and the chance to be part of the World Cup atmosphere — makes the trip worthwhile. And his determination is already earning him a place among the most dedicated fans of the 2026 tournament.