Rostov-on-Don, Russia
The retired airline engineer is following the Green Falcons across Russia on his 1,800cc touring motorbike with three Saudi companions, known as the Travelers. They have contingency plans to stay on the road with the team through the quarterfinals.
Engines purring, they drove past Rostov Arena on Tuesday in this southern Russian city with zip-tied green Saudi flags flapping at their backs. Grinning police officers and surprised bystanders posed for photographs in front of the 45,000-seat stadium.
Group A favorite Uruguay traveled to Rostov-on-Don after a win against Egypt and was looking to seal qualification Wednesday with a bolstered midfield to support strikers Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani. Uruguay was heavily favored by oddsmakers.
The soft-spoken Benawi took a more philosophical view of the likely outcome.
“In our first match we didn’t play good, so we lost the game. That’s OK,” he said. “But Saudi Arabia should look into the future. We are going to play with Uruguay. We support our team, hoping that we will win. We will win.”
The Travelers have already clocked 2,200 miles on their journey. Their motorcycles were flown to Frankfurt, Germany, and they rode on to Poland, Belarus and Russia, with Saudi pop music blasting out of their speakers.
The 57-year-old Benawi and his seasoned road-travel buddies — a customs officer, a small business owner, and a fellow retiree — say they have met nothing but good will along the way: from border guards in Belarus using translation apps to make sure they could find a route with plenty of gas stations to curious bystanders cheering them on.
“The people have been so friendly,” Benawi said. “I thank every one of them.”
Their next stop was Volgograd, a 311-mile drive east, where the Saudis were to meet Egypt in the final group game, but the highlight so far has been the Russian capital.
“I was surprised how huge the buildings are in Moscow. They are huge, man. I love that place,” Benawi said. “This has been a great adventure for us.”