The England superfan shed more light on the news that he is selling his home to fund his trip to the 2026 World Cup in North America.
England fan Andy Milne sells second home to go to World Cup (Image: In The Mixer)
England superfan Andy Milne has revealed that he has sold his home to fund his trip to the 2026 World Cup. Milne has been following the Three Lions in major tournaments since 1982 and became a sensation in Qatar four years ago.
A picture of the 62-year-old holding a replica World Cup trophy, named ‘Sophie’ after her daughter, was circulated and drew attention for her resemblance to former England manager Steve McClaren.
This summer he will embark on his 10th World Cup trip, but it will come at a price. Mr Milne has chosen to sell his £350,000 holiday home in Cheshire and has told us why.
“I quit my job as a teacher and took early retirement to go to Qatar, but I won’t receive my full pension for another four years,” he said on In the Mixer, presented by Sky Bet.
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“I moved house 13 years ago and I invested the money in my previous house and have been renting on it ever since, so it’s always been my pension pot.
Retired teacher Milne participated in nine World Cups (Image: Getty)
“It’s time to cash out the pension pot. Selling it was my plan to go to the World Cup. Let’s do a little money planning! Preparing for the World Cup finals is a long process. Some prepare even longer in advance.”
“It was announced 13 years ago, seven years ago, that Qatar was going to be a winter tournament. We never expected that to happen.
“I couldn’t go because I’m a teacher. It was during term time, so I decided to take early retirement that day and left. It was a little early. I was knocking 60 points!”
Milne was asked about how he dealt with the growing notoriety and his famous replica while competing. He said: “Sophie the Trophy first appeared in the World Cup in 2010. People love it and want to take pictures outside the stadium.
“The truth is, there are a lot of people who try to hurt it. I have to keep an eye on it. If someone starts talking to me seriously, I know their partner is on the other side walking away with the trophy. So I almost got hurt a few times!”
“But this is a photo opportunity, right? That’s why they zoomed in on me like that in the early games in Qatar. It’s nice in a way (to have the attention). Almost everyone is positive. You’re recognized and everyone has a story.”
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