A little over two decades ago that Tom Brady began his career at the NFL and accumulated all imaginable trophies and praise.On the way, he also became the first superstar of the league globally.As Babe Ruth and Michael Jordan did before him, Brady contributed to raising the profile of a sport that was mostly confined to North America, and made it popular in unexpected places.

Brady is the first ambassador of a league that seeks to expand his horizons.His trips to Brazil, Japan, Ghana and other places have been accompanied by legions of local fans.During his trip to China, a cloud of photographers piled up to see him throw passes on the great wall.

The fans that Brady cultivated internationally is passionate, and provides another argument to evaluate the impact that the current Tampa Bay Bucaneers quartback has had in its sport -reports indicate that it will soon have to retire.

We take a look at Brady's popularity international.

Something recurring when talking to these fans: "Goat" (the best of all time, is understood in any language or culture.

Brazil: Gisele's 'husband' inspires imitators

While it was already a popular figure among the American football fans community in Brazil, Tom Brady became a cultural phenomenon in that country when he married the Brazilian model and activist, Gisele Bundchen in 2009. At that time, the mediaBrazilians referred almost exclusively Brady as "Gisele's husband," which made her fans angry.

It has become common to see Brady in popular events in Brazil as in Carnival.As part of his efforts to connect with NFL fans, ESPN Brasil launched a series of videos on YouTube called "Looking for Tom Bher" (Brears is a colloquial term to describe a Brazilian, in Portuguese), in order to findA double for Brady.

"People labeled me on Instagram saying [that I look like Tom Brady]," said the winner of the contest Marcelo Taporosky, 31."I went to the auditions and won, I became the double officer of the legend here in Brazil."

The devotion to Brady is such that many Brazilians saw themselves before the difficult decision to choose between Brady and the New England Patriots, when the player left the team to play with the Buccaneers.

"It took me for a while to leave," said Sidney Torres, founder of Ne Patriots, a page for Brazilian fans of the six -time Super Bowl winner.“I psychologically prepared a bit for the exit of him, so that when I announced it, I would not be surprised.When I saw him throwing a pass to Rob Gronkowski [with the Buccaneers] I understood it. ”

For others, such as Guilherme Lopes, Loyalty to Brady is more important - regardless of the uniform that carries.“Where you want me to go, I will follow it.I am his fan forever.It's the Goat, ”said the 39 -year -old fan."Even if one day goes to the jets and the targets to the playoffs, I will follow where to go."- Gustavo Faldon

United Kingdom: Brady as Retirement Fund

Phil Jones, from Derbyshire, England, remembers that he was looking for some interest in a discount box during a collector fair prior to the Super Bowl XXXV of 2001 in Tampa Bay.Jones, who likes to collect sports cards, had seen the Orange Bowl from the previous year and recalled with a smile the last game of Tom Brady at the University of Michigan, throwing four touchdowns to beat Alabama.

Jones, 66 years old, also recalled that infamous Brady video in his training prior to the NFL Draft.

"I remember what I thought:‘ How did Alabama beat? ’," Jones said.

Some months later, he checked to see if Brady had selected him to play at the NFL, and even chosen it for his Fantasy team.

Then, when Jones found himself in that Super Bowl with four Brady cards in his rookie year, he asked the seller how much he wanted for them.They barely asked for six dollars.Among the Jones collection there is an autograph card, of the SET 2000 Playoff Contenders.A similar card obtained almost $ 50,000 in an online auction, but that card was listed, a situation other than that of Jones.

"Tom Brady is my pension," Jones joked.

Jones is perhaps one of its greatest fans throughout the United Kingdom.He is the co-president of BUCSUK, a group of fans whom he joined in 1990, and has gone to a total of 12 Super Bowl games-his first was in 1991. He was even present at the first of Brady, in 2002,Just a year after buying your cards.Jones saw Adam Vinatieri's fulminant kick that sealed the victory for the Patriots over Rams.

From that moment, Jones has followed Brady's career.He saw him win another six rings after that, including the last one, which he got for his Buccaneers.

"I was never a fan of the Patriots, I'm a brady fan," Jones said.

Jones is protected by his cards in a safe inside his local bank, next to his testament and his possessions of greater value.He has no intention of selling the cards (although he has had offers) but he also does not need to profit from them.Jones owns his own textile business, and also works as a milkman to stay fit.Cards are a good that can one day be inherited, or serve as emergency money.

"I really have no idea what I will do with them," he said."They are my memories."- Connor O'Hallorhan

Mexico: a relationship of taking and give me

Among the 48 million football fans in Mexico - according to the same NFL - Las Vegas Raiders, Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers have been the most popular historically popular teams in the country.

During 2019, Brady's last season with the Patriots, a survey revealed that now New England was the team with more followers.

Brady has won his three games played outside the United States, including a duel in 2017 played in Mexico City.When the three -time winner of the most valuable player and his Patriots beat the Raiders at the Azteca Stadium, the fans chanted his name during the match.

"That was a big surprise," Brady told the press after the game.

I HAV'T DONE "recruiting" for well over a year anyway, but i will missings like being at a clothing-ot… https://t.co/u5vjq6y2qs

— Dan Geiger Mon Dec 16 18:49:03 +0000 2019

But, one of the most surreal moments of Brady's career is also linked in a certain way to Mexico.In the Super Bowl LI of 2017, Mexican journalist Martín Mauricio Ortega stole the sweater Brady used during the historic victory against the Atlanta Falcons.

Ortega, who was inside the dressing room thanks to his accreditation as a journalist, then described his actions as "an impulse of an fan who lost control."- Eric Gómez

Denmark: the fan who cried for Brady and Bucs

When Tom Brady signed with the Buccaneers on March 20, 2020, his self -denominated “largest fan” in Europe did not take the news lightly.

Kenneth Jorgensen, an employee of a factory in Esbjerg, Denmark, felt at that time the tension between his loyalty by Brady and his former team.Jorgesen, 39, lacked three days in a row, arguing the emotional ravages caused by Brady's decision.

“The first day I saw playing live [in London, during the 2009 season] I felt like a child at Christmas.He is the Goat.He is my Michael Jordan, ”said Jorgensen, who became a fan of the PATS in 1997, prior to Brady playing for them.

Jorgensen's fans have led him to see 16 games of the Patriots live.When Jorgesen goes to the stadium, the team always wins, he says.For many of his pilgrimage, either to London or Gillete Stadium in Massachussetts, the best of all, he says, was to see Brady play.

"I can't describe what it is to see Brady do your own," said Jorgensen."He leaves you breathless."

On his trips he has encountered some of the most important figures in the franchise.On his Instagram profile, Jorgesen published a photo in which he embraces the team owner, Robert Kraft.In March, he admitted that he cried when he received an autograph letter from the coach, Bill Belichick.

His house in Esbjerg looks like a museum dedicated to the Patriots, where many of the pieces are allusive to Brady.

But in the end, Jorgesen chose the team over the figure.He admits that he wishes Brady well - except when he plays against New England.That season, the BUCs beat the PATS by marker of 19-17.Jorgesen had no grudge towards Brady, a great advance compared to what he felt in February, when he saw Brady take his new team to win the Super Bowl.

"Seeing him lift the Lombardi trophy with the Bucs was as if they kick me in my head," he said.- Eric Gómez

Australia: Medical emergencies and eternal parties

Few fans of Tom Brady worldwide can boast what it is to go see it from a place as distant as Australia.The trip can last up to 21 hours, that if the flight connections are short.All this, for the opportunity to see the biggest star the NFL in person.

Australian travelers tell very interesting stories when remembering what they did to see Brady: Family vacation diversions;Reach the northeast frigid of the United States with just denim pants and a shirt.Flight cancellations, damaged trains and endless sacrifices to achieve the goal.

For Sam Williams, even a medical emergency did not stop his odyssey to see Brady in 2016. Upon arriving in the United States to see the Jets and Patriots in Foxborough, Williams suffered from stones in the kidney two days before the game.

“They called the paramedics to the hotel as at 3 in the morning, and I spent six hours in emergency [inside the hospital].But I wasn't going to miss it, I had expected too much not to go see the Patriots and Brady live, ”said Williams."I went to the game with medication to not suffer pain, and almost at the end of the game he stopped taking effect."

At that time, the Patriots were more than a victory, in a duel that ended 41-3.

"I am very happy with the beating we gave them," he said.

When they do not suffer from medical emergencies, Australian fans stand out for spending it when they arrive - and making good friends quickly.

Jaymz Clements honored the latter when he went to Gillete Stadium in October 2018. At the time of climbing the train from Boston to Foxborough, he remembers that he very early met another passenger who suggested a touch of alcohol to his coffee for the road.

“The train trip lasted almost an hour, and I loved every second.Even the pale boy in Gronkowski's shirt, which seemed to vomit every three or four minutes, ”said Clements.“But the best part was to get to the stadium and see the parties organized by fans in their cars.They gave me more beers than at any other time in my life, and I became best friends with how 20 people. ”

With his new friends, Clements enjoyed the destruction that Brady and the Patriots gave about the Miami Dolphins, by a score of 38-7.

"I had to see Brady in person once again, in a game, because - unless you are Scottie Pippen, who can say that he has seen Goat in person?" He said.- Laurence Horesh

Bolivia: Family Love

Daniel Nemtala grew in La Paz, Bolivia - where football is the king sport.His introduction to American football came mostly thanks to video games and Hollywood.

"One of my favorite child films was the alternates, with Keanu Reeves," said Nemtala, a sports television producer in his native country."I played Madden's video games in my playstation, and so I learned to understand that sport."

Subsequently, a trip to Boston to visit his family created a bond related to American football that remains an important part of his life.

"Tom Brady is a half -year -old half -year -old," said Nemtala, 31.“Since I got there, Tom Brady was everywhere.People only talked about him, especially when it was a American football season. ”

Nemtala began to share his family's worship, and became an fan of the Patriots, although he says he continues to support Brady in Tampa Bay.

Prior to the pandemic, Nemtala made annual trips to Waltham, Massachusetts, to visit his family and share the love for football.Those moments remain special within his memory.

“Every Sunday, whatever happened, my family got together to see Tom Brady play.Those are some of the best memories I have in my whole life, ”said Nemtala.

Nemtala has used its work platform to try to win new NFL followers in Bolivia.Those efforts, he says, are succeeding, since every season there are new sports fans.

"Before, they were nothing more who had lived in the United States that had a notion of American football," he said."But now, more and more people see the Super Bowl or begin to follow specific teams or players."

Nemtala has plans to return to the United States when COVID-19 allows it.Meanwhile, he admits that talking about Brady with certain relatives may no longer be a good idea.

"One of my cousins hates it," he said."Me?I think Brady is a genius, and I have a lot of respect.It doesn't matter which team plays, he will always be the best player in history. ”- Eric Gómez

The ESPN reporter Dan Hajduky, collaborated with this story.