Matthew Roberts Runs a Kilometer for Every World Cup Goal
As German fans reached for another stein to celebrate their 7-1 victory over Curaçao in the World Cup on Sunday, Matthew Roberts reached for his running shoes.
The teacher from Caernarfon set himself the challenge of running a kilometer for every goal scored in this year's championship, and after a fairly leisurely start, things quickly heated up, he said.
"It started off really slow with the first game, with 2-0 to Mexico – boring, 2km!
"It was 5km on the second day, then 9km... but then I had 15km to do!
"At first, I was thinking 'I want more goals!' but as they kept going in [in the Germany game], I started to change my mind a bit!"
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Matthew documents his attempt in Welsh videos on TikTok – he did not expect anyone to save them other than recording on the Strava running app, he said – and is already gaining considerable attention and new followers.
"I've had a really good response. I made the videos public to get more attention, and the phone hasn't stopped buzzing since; it was constant, with people liking and following.
"I hope it has reached across Wales by now."
Running for Mental Health
Matthew is passionate about running – it is good for his mental health, he explains – and is currently training for the Snowdon Race.
But this is not just a fitness challenge; he is doing it to raise money for a mental health charity in Wales.
"I had been thinking hard about what to fundraise for, and men's mental health came to mind.
"I had done some research, and there is a charity called Helpu Cymru which helps men across Wales with their mental health by offering support, a community to talk and share experiences, and someone to listen.
"And I thought, as men, we need to get rid of the stigma that we have to be strong all the time and not show emotion. I think it's important for us to share our feelings."
LISTEN: Matthew talks about his challenge on Post Prynhawn on BBC Radio Cymru
So how many kilometers will Matthew have to run by the time we know who will lift the Jules Rimet trophy on 19 July?
172 goals were scored four years ago when the championship was in Qatar, but of course, the tournament is much bigger this year, with more teams competing and 40 additional games.
Eleven was the total number of goals scored in Monday's games, thanks to five goals by Sweden against Tunisia, so it promises to be quite a challenge for Matthew!
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Also of Interest
- Climbing Snowdon nine times for a men's mental health group
- Caffi'r Ogia offers men a chance to talk about mental health
- Lowri Morgan: 'The lessons I've learned through running'
