Two English fans have recalled how they stumbled across a Sheikh’s palace in Qatar while searching for beer as the World Cup kicked off.
The duo explained to talkSPORT that things took an unexpected turn when they began exploring the streets shortly after landing in Doha.
One of the fans said: “We’ve just been having a good time, having a mooch and trying to get our bearings. The set-up’s spot on, we’ve been enjoying ourselves.”
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The other fan chimed in: “Last night we met one of the Sheikh’s sons and he took us back to the palace. He showed us that he had lions and everything. They’ve [Qatar locals] made us so welcome.
He added: “Basically we were on a bit of a hunt for some beers and he was like ‘yeah, we sort beers, we sort beers’, so we jumped into the back of his Toyota Landcruiser, ended up at a big palace. He showed us his monkeys, his exotic birds. It was nuts.”
I mean, given the jaw-dropping expenses in Qatar, every trip should come with a Sheikh giving you your own private tour.
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The bizarre moment has since gone viral, with more than 1.3 million views and many being left in stitches.
One person wrote: “That’s some heavy shrooms they are on.”
Another commented: “The fact this genuinely happened makes me so happy, like something from the hangover.”
A third person shared: “Who’s buying the film rights to this?”
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While another said: “Most shocking part of this is scousers following England in a tournament.”
As some were quick to doubt the legitimacy of the outrageous encounter, one of the lads shared a video with the outlet showing him behind the palace's walls.
Not only that, but the video shows the Liverpool native getting up close and personal with one of the royal’s big cats.
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While these guys seem to be having the time of their lives, fans who attended the tournament's first game didn't seemed to be in a different predicament.
According to Fox Sports, fans were outraged by Qatar's Al Bayt Stadium's lack of refreshments.
They reportedly yelled: "We want beer, we want beer!"
It comes after the country's officials announced they would be banning the sale of alcohol at World Cup stadiums two days before the tournament kicked off.
Charisa Bossinakis