6-year-old River fan Renzo melts the hearts of Argentina
Desperate to see his beloved River Plate face Boca Juniors in Saturday's Libertadores final, he set about securing a ticket by selling his toys.
Next Saturday sees the second leg of the 2018 Copa Libertadores final as River Plate and Boca Juniors face each other in the Superclasico to determine who will be the champions of South America. The game is finely poised after the 2-2 draw in La Bombonera and securing a ticket for the match at River's Estadio Monumental is only a task for those with the deepest of pockets.
One young Argentine fan took it upon himself to launch is own drive to secure a ticket to see his beloved River Plate with six-year-old Renzo setting up a stall in his home in Paraná selling the only things of value in his possession, his own toys. "I'm selling my toys to try and get to El Monumental", was his marketing slogan.
His parents so touched by their child's initiative posted the picture to Facebook and it wasn't long before the photo went viral and reached the president of the Parana River Plate supporters club, with president Emanuel Julian Barneaud admitting to being moved by the photo of the child in his River Plate shirt.
The president earmarked a pair of tickets from the fan-club allocation for Renzo and his mother to travel to Buenos Aires and witness Marcelo Gallardo's River Plate attempt to secure their fourth Libertadores trophy.
There was another surprise in store for Renzo as a River Plate hat and shirt signed by club legend Enzo Francescoli who became aware of the story. "Thanks Renzo for reminding all of us River fans, that apart from the result, River is our driving passion", concluded "El Príncipe".