The Best Awards: the incredible story of Santa Fe fan Colón who fights for the same prize as Messi, Haaland and Mbappé

Lionel Messi is not the only Argentine finalist in The Best 2023 awards. This Monday’s ceremony, in London (starting at 5pm, Argentine time, on TyC Sports) also has another representative of the Albiceleste: it is Totò Iniguezthe Columbus fan with his son Titian was the protagonist of an incredible story that went around the world and attracted the attention of FIFA enough to include him in the fight for a prize for which, among others, Erling Haaland AND Kylian Mbappe in the list of the best players.

In the last edition, Argentina monopolized the prizes linked to the title at the World Cup in Qatar. In fact, he had also won the “Fan of the Year” statuette, which was received by Carlo Pasqualethe famous “Tula”, who traveled with his iconic bass drum to London.

In 2023 there is also an Argentine candidate for that award. Toto Íñiguez, a Colón de Santa Fe fan, went viral last May when he was captured on the official broadcast of the Professional League. handing the bottle to his son Tiziano in the center of the gallery.

“The touching scene reflected the fan’s desire to reawaken his son’s passion for the club since he was little”FIFA highlighted when it revealed the shortlist in September last year.

Throughout the week, Colón has published on his official channels the step by step of the Iñíguez family towards the Better. Last week he showed “Totò” while trying on a dress to attend the gala in London and this Monday he shows it before getting on the plane. “Through its Public Relations area, the club will accompany Toto Iñiguez and his family on their journey towards The Best FIFA awards,” he explained.

Who are you competing against?

The Colón fan competes with Englishman Fran Hurndall, who for 32 days walked 32 kilometers, with the ball attached to her foot, from the Gold Coast to Sydney, Australia, to inspire girls and women to achieve their goals; and Miguel Ángel, a Colombian fan of Millonarios de Bogotá, who suffered from a terminal illness and, before receiving euthanasia, fulfilled his wish to meet the team’s players.

The dream of being able to take a photo with Lionel Messi

Before boarding the plane with his son and wife, Toto Iñiguez acknowledged what one of his main goals was for this unforgettable trip. “It would be a dream for Tiziano to take a photo with Leo. If I have to stay until they turn off the lights waiting for him, I won’t have any problems.”he acknowledged in statements to the sports newspaper Ole.

Even though the goal is to “live an unforgettable moment”, Iñíguez doesn’t even want to think about what could happen if he wins: “I’ll be honest with you, I can’t even think that I’m getting nervous. I’ll say whatever comes to mind, I don’t want to prepare anything because I know I won’t be able to say it and I prefer it that way.”.