They’re just here to kick it.
Two die-hard soccer fans are living the dream — they’re getting paid $50,000 to watch all 106 single World Cup games.
But the catch is that they have to do it in a glass cube in the middle of Times Square.
“It makes you appreciate zoo and aquarium animals more,” said Kevin Okoto, 26, of Jacksonville, Florida.
Okoto and Austin Franklin have already cried, laughed and gritted their teeth through over 75 matches, each one of which they’ve watched from inside a mancave snowglobe in the Crossroads of the World that allows tourists to gaze upon their every move.
The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is part of a Fox One and Indeed partnership that called on fútbol fanatics to formally apply on the job board site along with a brief video showcasing why they should get paid just to sit on a couch, eat snacks and enjoy the sport in the makeshift living room.
The duo emerged as the clear Chief World Cup Watchers — both with enviable social media followings and a fearlessness about being constantly surveilled despite spending countless hours in the middle of the tourist hub.
“It really has just gotten to the point where I feel like I’m watching TV in my living room and watching. This is my living room!” said Franklin, 29, of Dartmouth, Massachusetts.
The Chiefs, who were strangers before they became coworkers, are not only paid to simply enjoy every second of the games, but have been visited by celebrities like Broadway’s Jeff Sullivan and actor Jerry O’Connell.
Their favorite part, however, has been interacting with the thousands of fans from across the globe that have congregated in Times Square for countless celebrations over the past few weeks.
“I had a really cool experience where literally thousands of Brazil fans were walking by and I jumped in the crowd with them and started talking to a random person, asking ‘Where are you all going?’ and he said, ‘Times Square, why don’t you come with us!’” recalled Franklin.
“Somebody handed me a Brazilian flag to help carry and somebody patted me on the shoulder and said, ‘You’re Brazilian now!’ … and another fan threw a jersey in my chest and said, ‘This is for you. You have a Brazilian spirit!’”
While he’s an Arsenal fan at heart, Franklin said the heartwarming experience was enough to throw his support behind Brazil for the remainder of the World Cup.
Similarly, Okoto has been swayed to cheer on teams that his die-hard love for Liverpool traditionally overshadows — explaining the exuberance he felt when he witnessed Paraguay beat soccer superpower Germany on Monday.
“To watch them actually go out there and beat them in that fashion was truly remarkable,” said Okoto, adding that it was “pretty cool watching the crowd” who was watching through the glass windows and over their shoulders.
Shockingly, none of the tourists and soccer fans who stroll by their glass cube have so far messed with the Chief Watchers, thrown anything at their snowglobe or even gone as far as to stick their tongues out at the duo.
“If we’re standing up or something like that, they’ll tell us to move out of the way! So it’s pretty funny watching them like and that’s when we go, ‘Okay sorry, sorry!” said Okoto.
Franklin laughed, adding: “I’ll slouch out of my seat a little bit so my new friends can see a little better.”
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