Spanish man trekking to World Cup reported missing in Iran

Spaniard Santiago Sanchez was last seen in Iraq (AP/PA)

A Spanish man who was documenting his journey on foot from Madrid to Doha for the 2022 Fifa World Cup has not been heard from since crossing into Iran three weeks ago, his family have said.

An experienced trekker, former paratrooper and soccer fan, 41-year-old Santiago Sanchez was last seen in Iraq after hiking through 15 countries and sharing his journey on Instagram over the last nine months. But his posts stopped suddenly on October 1, the day he entered Iran from the country’s northwestern border.