Real-life Hangover: One lost phone, 10 days missing, and a World Cup trip nobody will forget

Michael Hewitt travelled to the World Cup hoping to cheer on England in the United States, but his trip unexpectedly turned into a 10-day missing-person mystery that ended with him being found in a Barcelona pub.

The 65-year-old Leeds United supporter, affectionately known as "Little Mick," had planned to fly from Barcelona to Boston for England's World Cup clash with Ghana. His family last spoke to him on June 21, shortly after he arrived in Spain, before all communication suddenly stopped.

The reason behind his disappearance was ultimately much simpler than anyone had imagined. Shortly after reaching Barcelona, Hewitt lost his mobile phone, leaving him without access to his flight tickets, contacts and any way of getting in touch with family or friends. Unable to continue his journey, he remained in the Spanish city.

His brother Gary later explained what had happened. “He lost his phone soon after arriving in Barcelona, and didn’t know any of the phone numbers stored on it,” Gary told The Sun. “He didn’t think to go to the Embassy as he still had his passport and money, so didn’t think they’d be interested,” he added.

Meanwhile, back in England, concern quickly escalated. The family's last clue had been photos Hewitt posted from a bar in Barcelona, but after that there was no trace of him.

As the days passed, the search intensified. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office became involved, Interpol was reportedly notified, and relatives appealed to the public for help in locating him.

Unaware of the growing international search, Hewitt simply carried on with his stay in Barcelona. Without a phone or internet connection, he spent his time watching England's World Cup matches in local bars while trying to make the best of the situation.

The mystery was finally solved thanks to an off-duty police officer visiting Barcelona. According to ITV News, both men were wearing Leeds United shirts and greeted each other with a “Leeds salute.” Afterward, the officer recognized Hewitt from the missing-person appeals circulating online and alerted the authorities.

British Embassy staff were then able to track down the hotel where Hewitt was staying by following his card transactions, allowing him to reconnect with his relieved family.

Gary later shared the update on Facebook.

“Fantastic news! Little Mick is safe and well in Barcelona, and was blissfully unaware that the world was searching for him!” he wrote. “As a family, we desperately wanted an embarrassingly simple but happy ending to this horrendous episode, and we now have that.”

He added: “A million thanks to each and every person who has helped to bring Mick home safely, and for all the good wishes.”

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Although the incident sparked international concern and involved authorities across multiple countries, it all stemmed from the loss of a single mobile phone. Fortunately, the story ended on a positive note.

In true football fashion, Hewitt reportedly had no intention of cutting his trip short. After being found safe, he still planned to remain in Barcelona long enough to watch England's next World Cup match.