Football fan's epic challenge to play 80 games around the world

Steve McCluskie travelled across 35 countries including Cuba for the challenge

A football fan who fell out of love with the modern game has embarked on an epic adventure to play 80 games around the world in the hope of rekindling his love for the sport.

Steve McCluskie has spent the last six years travelling the globe to inspire spontaneous kick-abouts.

The 53-year-old from Lancashire said he was tired of ordinary people being priced out of the game.

"I wanted to reignite the joy of kicking a ball about," he said.

"Football belongs to us, not billionaires."

Mr McCluskie travelled some 97,000 miles across 35 countries, where he simply laid down jumpers for goalposts and played games with strangers.

The Lancashire teacher travelled 97,000 in six years

"Six years ago I'd grown tired of all the commercialisation of football, working class people being priced out of going to the match, the way fans were being treated, cost of replica shirts," he said.

"I really fell out of love with the game. I though to myself 'What was it I first loved about football?'

"And as a kid I loved just taking my ball out to see if I could get a game going.

"So I wanted to get back to that simple joy playing football can bring."

The lifelong Liverpool supporter's trip began in Australia and took him through parts of Africa, central America and Europe.

Mr McCluskie said he wanted to "reignite the joy of kicking a ball about"

"I'd always wanted to go on an adventure and this was just so simple," he said.

"Turn up in any place with four jumpers for goalposts and a ball. I literally just put jumpers down and people from all walks of life joined in.

"Everywhere I went I was treated so well."

The teacher, from Bacup, kept a blog of his encounters and now plans to write a book telling the stories of the "humbling and inspiring" people he met.

Mr McCluskie made friends around the world in his challenge

He also met his now fiancée Gilma, 55, in Colombia, and the couple plan to marry next year.

"It has been an incredible experience, a real adventure," he said.

The 80th and final match took place on the local recreation ground in the town at the weekend, where Mr McCluskie used to play football with friends.

You can hear more from Steve McCluskie on North West Tonight at 18:30 BST

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