West London family win World Cup final tickets – dad initially ignored email he thought was a scam

Dad Rifat believes Thomas Tuchel and England will win if they reach the final by beating Argentina tonight

A delighted family are living a once-in-a-lifeitme dream of going to the World Cup final. Rifat Hysa, 52, from Twickenham, will be going to the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey after his 9-year-old son, Max, won the sought-after prize through McDonald’s Fun Football.

He went to a Maccies football session at Orleans Park School, in Twickenham, earlier this year. But unlike the other young ballers, he came home with return flights to New York for four people, accommodation, and $2,000 in spending money. The competition’s final tickets have gone on sale for £1.7million each in some cases.

Dad Rifat was so shocked when he first got the winning email that he ‘didn’t pay too much attention’ as he thought it was a scam. He said: ”I was taking it one step at a time, I didn’t tell anyone at the beginning other than my wife.”

After a few days though Rifat was certain the email awarding him four tickets was legitimate and it begun sinking in that he would soon be ‘living his dream.’ He said: “It’s hard to explain but when I found out it’s real I was still daydreaming. We are all over the moon to be honest, we can’t wait to get going, to get on a plane and then see everything. It’s amazing. We’ve never been there, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

He added the golden arches will be coughing up for everything bar transport from the airport to the hotel, and from the hotel to the stadium. He added: “It can’t get any cheaper, it’s crazy. I’m sure Max will pass these memories down the generations.”

Rifat told MyLondon he wants Thomas Tuchel’s men to go all the way. The excited dad said: “You have to believe that if they do go to final, I’m hoping they’re going to come home with trophy.”

He added that his favourite game of the tournament so far was the incredibly exicting Argentina vs Cape Verde match, which the reigning champions won in extra time. “It was a crazy game,” he said, and commended goalkeeper Vozinha for his performance. “For a country that size, what they did was brilliant,” he added.

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