The world's greatest footballer was celebrating winning arguably the greatest match of all time when I met a man called Keegan. He was an Argentina fan whose mother fancied Kevin Keegan when he was a child and decided to name him after her heartthrob.
At Qatar 2022, tens of thousands of his countrymen and women went wild as they watched Lionel Messi raise the trophy aloft. It confirmed Messi's place in history as one of the greatest players of all time, if not the greatest. After all the controversy surrounding the Gulf state hosting the tournament, football delivered an exhilarating final.
It was a privilege to be there, as it has been for so many of the tournaments over the past 30 years. Sr. Keegan found it very amusing that I was from Tyneside and that Keegan was a footballing God for me just as Messi was for him.
This is my 8th World Cup for the Mirror and 13th major tournament overall; I am hoping this is a good omen... it's lucky for some. England have looked impressive in qualifying for the US; they have a superstar striker in Harry Kane who is in the form of his life, hitting 69 goals this season, unstoppable for club and country. You feel that with Harry in the team, England will always have a chance.
We were a whisker away from making the 2018 World Cup final if his close range shot had gone in against Croatia. Even the best need a little bit of luck; but there is no doubt this squad has a belief and togetherness rarely seen before.
There have been so many memories covering the national side at home and abroad; England 5 Germany 1 back in 2001 is among the highlights, including a Bavarian in Lederhosen with a handlebar moustache who walked past me shaking his head with 10 minutes to go. There was Kieran Trippier's goal in the Russia 2018 semi-final where we dared to dream once more.
Meeting Paul Gascoigne in the tunnel before a 1996 World Cup qualifier, his face a picture of utter concentration. England against Turkey in Istanbul back in 2003 was also memorable, for very different reasons. A security guard led me with my accreditation through the stadium, past the changing rooms, and onto the pitch. He ushered me to a bench by the perimeter and left me there to watch the game. I had a photo taken in Sven-Göran Eriksson's seat before he arrived.
During the game, I could clearly hear what the players said to each other. My sister spotted me on the TV coverage. Then came Wayne Rooney's brawl in the tunnel with former Aston Villa centre back Alpay. We bumped into Alpay next day at the airport; he wasn't very happy when we asked him about his showdown with Rooney. Michael Owen's stunning strike at France '98, Beckham's sending off, and our quarter final defeat to Brazil in Japan in 2002 are all among the stand out moments.
But you also get to witness moments of sporting history; the pouring rain as France won the 2018 final, Maradona juggling and joking with Argentina players in South Africa's 2010 tournament. A baboon broke into a colleague's room in our accommodation near Rustenburg and was sat on the kitchen bench, working his way through the contents of his fridge, when he came back with the shopping. He made his excuses and left before park keepers arrived to remove the giant intruder, gently coaxing him out of a window. It was a rare moment of fun at the tournament, where England boss Fabio Capello had a tough disciplinary approach. The players looked miserable and performed accordingly.
Baden-Baden, in total contrast, was pure joy; the WAGs were out drinking champagne, dancing and joking in full view of reporters and photographers. Frank Lampard's first wife Elen Rives joined us for a drink in the now infamous Garibaldi's bar as Neville Neville, Gary and Phil Neville's dad, sang with a replica World Cup in his hands. It was laugh out loud funny. In the media footy team, Terry Butcher insisted a team mate tuck in his shirt as we lined up against Poland at the Euros in 2012. He did as he was told.
In Glasgow in 1999, Peter Beardsley was the star turn, so I got to play up front with one of my all-time heroes. He was still brilliant, and generous in his advice in the dressing room. Up there with Keegan as my all-time favourite England player, alongside Gazza, the star of Euro '96, where I first worked for the Mirror at a major tournament.
The yellow brick road to Kansas has been a long one. You can never take for granted the privilege of covering World Cup finals, watching all-time greats, and seeing the very best play the beautiful game.
