He sold his car to follow his team's painful loss in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, but England fan Oliver found himself sitting next to Sofia in the stands of the Azteca Stadium. This chance encounter marked the beginning of a beautiful and unexpected international love story.

(CNN) — When Oliver Craxton walked into the Azteca Stadium in Mexico on June 22, 1986, he was met with the roar of the crowd among England and Argentina supporters. He told CNN, 'It was a fantastic festive atmosphere.'

The iconic stadium, located 2,241 meters above sea level, hosted the England vs. Argentina quarter-final match of the 1986 World Cup, a clash immortalized by Diego Maradona’s controversial 'Hand of God' goal and England’s exit from the tournament.

But that match wasn't the only reason Oliver remembers that day, as it was when he met the love of his life, Sofia Larrinua. He said, 'To be in the Azteca during the "Hand of God" match, and despite England's loss, we found each other.'

At the time, Oliver was a young man living in North London working for the local council. After discussing England’s World Cup chances with his friends, he decided to travel to Mexico with his friend Andy, even though the trip seemed expensive and out of reach.

He said, 'We agreed it would be the trip of a lifetime, and that’s exactly what it turned out to be.'

Before traveling, Oliver lost the money he had paid after the travel agency that booked his trip went bankrupt, forcing him to sell his car to cover the new costs. In the end, he arrived in Mexico, where a coincidence that would change the course of his life awaited him.

Before the quarter-final match, Oliver Craxton and his friend Andy were wandering around Mexico City, and Oliver held a hope that the trip might bring him a romance. As he recounts: 'Everyone was friendly, and the games included families and many women. It crossed my mind that I might have a chance to meet someone, but that was likely just wishful thinking.'

The two friends arrived early at the Azteca Stadium and sat with the England fans instead of sticking to their assigned seats. There, Oliver’s attention was drawn to three young women speaking Spanish and wearing England jerseys. After changing their seats more than once, they ended up in the same row.

He said, 'I was confident they would end up here. And indeed, that happened.'

The conversation with Sofia began after he discovered she was a Manchester United fan, and he felt an attraction to her from the very first moment.

However, the match atmosphere quickly turned tense due to the historical rivalry between England and Argentina, which had intensified after the Falklands War.

Oliver said, 'You could see fights and the burning of England flags. There was no separation between the fans, and some Argentinians started rushing toward us. I stood up—I wasn't a strong guy—but I thought about protecting Sofia and her friends.'

The tension ended without escalating, and it seemed Sofia appreciated his stance. As the match kicked off, they shared the excitement and anxiety, beginning an unexpected love story between them.

Sofia Larrinua, a Mexican woman in her twenties, was waiting for the 1986 World Cup with excitement.

She told CNN, 'I was finishing my university studies and was not in a relationship. I was happy being single because I was very excited about the World Cup.'

A year before the tournament, she accidentally met players from the England national team, including Gary Lineker, which strengthened her connection to England that began in her childhood after watching the film 'Melody.'

She said, 'I left the cinema thinking I wanted to go to England.'

Sofia became a Manchester United fan and was keen to attend the England vs. Argentina match. After moving from the Argentina fan sections due to the tension, she sat near Oliver Craxton and his friend Andy and discovered she shared his love for the English club.

She said, 'Discovering our shared interest in football was a major positive point.'

As the tension rose in the stands, Oliver reassured her that he would protect her, so she said to herself, 'My God, this is so sweet.'

She added, 'I felt that being next to this man was very beautiful... I felt like I was at home.'

In the second half, Diego Maradona scored the controversial 'Hand of God' goal, and Sofia said, 'Everyone saw the "Hand of God," except the referee.' The match ended in a 2-1 win for Argentina and England’s exit.

Despite the loss, the closeness between Oliver and Sofia began. Oliver said, 'We were upset about the loss, but happy because we had met.'

After the match, they walked around Mexico City, and Sofia signed Oliver's hat. Although she refused to kiss him at the end of the evening, he called her days later and invited her to dinner.

She said, 'I thought: I really like this guy.'

The admiration turned into love, and she said, 'He kissed me at the end, and it was beautiful, and we started falling in love.'

At their farewell at the airport, she gave him her gold bracelet, while he gave her a handkerchief he had.

Oliver said, 'I kept her bracelet, and she kept the handkerchief.'

They pledged to stay in touch, and Sofia began saving money to visit him in England.

Maintaining a relationship between two continents in 1986 was not easy, as Larrinua and Craxton's communication relied on letters and phone calls.

Sofia said, 'We wrote to each other, and the letters took between six and eight weeks to arrive, if they arrived at all. Many of them were lost in the mail, and the calls were very expensive.'

Oliver added, 'We couldn't call every day, or even every week. We had to settle for one call a month.'

Despite the distance, the two maintained their relationship, and Sofia traveled to England in 1987, where the spark of admiration turned into love.

She said, 'We talked, and our relationship continued. But it became much deeper.'

They shared a passion for travel, music, and football, and together they watched a Manchester United match at Old Trafford.

Oliver said, 'That was our first experience watching Manchester United together, and it was wonderful.'

When Sofia's parents asked Oliver to visit Mexico to get to know him, he took the opportunity to propose to her at the Teotihuacan archaeological site.

Oliver said, 'I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me, but she didn't hear.'

Sofia added, 'I said to Oliver: Can you repeat the question? So he repeated it, and I said yes, and it was a very happy moment.'

During the visit, Oliver asked her father for permission to marry, dispelling the family's fears.

Sofia said, 'My family was worried that I might have met a violent person, but they met Oliver and loved him.'