Cam Francis, a musician originally from Northumberland who now lives in Argentina, is backing England to win their World Cup semi-final against his adopted nation. The 35-year-old, who grew up in Swarland near Alnwick, moved to Córdoba, Argentina's second-largest city, in 2022 after living in the United States. He has built a career as a musician and influencer, amassing over 4,000 social media followers.
England vs Argentina: A Personal Dilemma
The Three Lions face the reigning world champions at the Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday at 8pm UK time, seeking a first World Cup final appearance in 60 years. While most of Northumberland will cheer for England, Francis faces a unique situation: he desperately wants England to win but lives in Argentina. He told ChronicleLive: "There are very few English people in Córdoba, I only know one. We watch the games together, but there are no real English bars."
Francis watched England's 4-2 opening win against Croatia in Buenos Aires at an English bar called Gibraltar. "It was beautiful inside, I felt like I was transported to a really lovely pub back home," he said.
Watching the Match in a Private Setting
For the semi-final, Francis will watch at a friend's house rather than in public. "I want to watch it with another English guy, and in a house which is closed to the public is probably the only place where I could actively support England!" he explained.
Francis, who does not own an England shirt, has watched most games at his flat. He says the atmosphere in Argentina has been great, and kick-off times are more convenient for him than for friends and family in the UK.
Building Bridges Between Rivals
Francis started his Instagram page to share his love for Argentina while acknowledging the historic rivalry between the two nations, both on and off the field. He has even written a song about the country. "I always wanted to be an ambassador for the good people of our great nation and I saw a purpose with just building a bridge between people who have had a rivalry. We have lots more in common than most people think," he said.
After posting a video explaining he could never support another team against England, most responses were positive, though he received some trolling messages.
Prediction: A Narrow England Victory
Francis predicts a 3-2 win for England, with goals from Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, and Lionel Messi scoring for Argentina. "To be safe, I'll say goals from Kane and Bellingham, and Messi for the other team!" he said. Regardless of the result, he will be happy: "I love Argentina, I love England."
England's semi-final kicks off at 8pm UK time, with a place in Sunday's final against France or Spain at stake.
