A Bangladeshi football fan has sold part of his land to build the world’s largest German flag in support of his favorite team ahead of the World Cup.
With the start of the tournament just days away, supporters are choosing some unique ways to express their football fandom ahead of the big kick-off but perhaps nothing comes close to that of Amzad, a Germany fan from the Bangladeshi village of Sadar upazila in Magura.
In the last World Cup Amzad made headlines in his home country and in Germany, after he unveiled a 3km-long flag in support of his European team.
Whether or not Amzad’s tribute proved effective or not is a debate for another day but given that Germany won the last World Cup it certainly didn’t hurt, so with that in mind Amzad decided to double down this year - almost literally.
At 5.5km, this year’s flag is almost twice the size of his 2014 iteration and, just like he did last time, Amzad sold off some of his land to help pay the costs for the ambitious exercise.
Caren Wezora, an official from the German Embassy in Bangledesh, commented on Amzad’s creation, saying: “Germany, and we call ourselves friends of Bangladesh, are very proud of Mr. Amzad, and we are very honoured to be here with all the other excellencies and officials of Magura, to witness the longest German flag in the world.”
Now a minor celebrity for his flag-building, Amzad says that his support of the German national team doesn’t stop here and, if he’s able, he will embark upon another project for the World Cup in Qatar.
“It is my dream to be alive until 2022,” Amzad said. “If that happens, I will make a 22km long German flag that will stretch from Magura to Jessore.”