Qatar World Cup 2022: Spanish fan walking to tournament goes missing in Iran

A 41-year-old Spanish football fan who set out to walk to Qatar to attend the World Cup in November has gone missing in Iran, Spain's foreign ministry has confirmed.

Santiago Sanchez was last seen on 1 October after sending his friends a picture of himself on the Iraq-Iran border with the heading: "Entry to Iran".

Sanchez’s parents in Madrid told Spanish media that their son was likely arrested in Iran.

"A 99 percent chance that he is in a prison in Iran, but the [Spanish] embassy has told my daughter that until they go to the prison to see him and have the permission of the Iranian government, they cannot give that news," his mother Celia said.

Police have asked the parents to provide dental records, personal items such as a toothbrush, and photos of Santiago's tattoos, which they will send to Interpol, she explained.

Spain's foreign ministry confirmed Sanchez was in Iran. The Spanish embassy in Tehran is seeking information on his whereabouts to provide him with consular services.

"The embassy is in permanent contact with the Iranian authorities since it was made aware of the disappearance,” the embassy said in a statement.

Sanchez left Madrid in January, backpacking through Europe on his way to Turkey and Iraq.

He told Reuters in Zakho in Iraqi Kurdistan last month that he hoped he might meet the Spanish team and inspire them to victory in the 2022 World Cup.

"If you don't set a date for your dreams, you don't realise them," he said.