TEETOTAL Cristiano Ronaldo is heading to Mexico’s party capital for the World Cup.
That is despite Portugal having NO matches in the country.
Roberto Martinez’s men are heavily tipped to win Group K with Colombia, Uzbekistan and one of DR Congo, Jamaica or New Caledonia.
And Fifa are set to confirm their base for the tournament will be the luxury Fairmont Mayakoba resort and the neighbouring Mayakoba Training Centre in Cancun.
At first, the choice to head to Mexico’s wildest city may seem an odd one for a team with hopes of going all the way and winning their first World Cup.
Cancun, after all, is renowned for its party lifestyle, lavish nightclubs and is a favourite destination for Spring Break trips – as opposed to sheer hard work, focused dedication and elite sport.
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Its population stands at 1million but that figure could soar by 200 per cent around the summer with an extra 2m visitors expected over the course of the five weeks of the World Cup.
Portugal’s World Cup campaign begins with two matches in Houston and they complete Group K in Miami.
Should they win their group as expected, their route to the final would see matches played in Kansas City, Vancouver, Kansas City again and Atlanta before finishing up on the outskirts of New York.
Yep, no matches in Mexico.
But on closer inspection, Cancun looks to be a perfect option and actually makes a lot of sense.
Despite being across the Gulf of Mexico, it is roughly a similar distance to both cities they have guaranteed matches in.
A flight north-east to Miami takes one hour and 50 minutes and it is a two-hour-ten-minute trip north-west to Houston.
And despite Cancun’s reputation, it will not be excessively busy for the World Cup with the three stadiums in Mexico used in Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara.
Plus, the Fairmont Mayakoba resort and Mayakoba Training Centre – both approximately an hour’s drive south of the city centre in the Riviera Maya coastline area – are absolutely ideal.
They are set within 240 hectares of jungle and surrounded by natural canals, lagoons and mangroves.
The trees provide an idyllic location with a natural feel and total privacy ‘bunker’, just what Ronaldo, Martinez and Co will want.
The training centre boasts world-class facilities, albeit just one football pitch plus a goalkeeper training area and gym.
But it is the Fairmont Mayakoba which is the real showstopper as one of the most prestigious and exclusive resorts in the whole country.
The five-star resort has no fewer than 401 rooms – premium villas start from around $2,000 (£1,460) – plus 12 function spaces, giving plenty of choice for those all-important team meetings.
There are eight restaurants, three bars, another gym and five swimming pools, including an infinity pool.
Add in its very own spa and the El Camaleon golf course which has hosted PGA Tour, LPGA and LIV Golf events, and it makes for a very appealing place to be stationed for potentially six weeks – although Portugal could move to the USA after the group stages.
Oh, and there is also a private beach club with direct access to the Caribbean Sea from the white sand.
And temperatures in the 30s make it not a bad way to recover the day after a game.
So with no expenses spared on restoration, preparation and professionalism, it is no wonder Portugal are putting down roots for their World Cup matches in the USA in a country they won’t be playing in.
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