Argentine footballer Nicolas Abot is pursuing an unusual football achievement that could place his name in the history books, as he seeks to score at least one goal on every inhabited continent.

The 41-year-old, popularly known as the “Football Backpacker”, has played for 43 clubs across 14 countries during a career spanning almost two decades. However, Africa remains the missing piece in his ambitious goal-scoring journey.

Abot is now hoping to secure a playing opportunity in Cape Verde, where he believes he could finally complete the challenge by finding the back of the net on the African continent.

His football journey began internationally in 2007 when he left Argentine club Olimpo to continue his career in Costa Rica. That decision marked the beginning of an extraordinary adventure that has taken him across different countries, leagues and football cultures.

Unlike many professional footballers who rely on agents to secure transfers, Abot manages much of his career independently. He contacts clubs directly, negotiates opportunities and remains open to playing in different countries as he pursues his personal ambition.

Throughout his career, he has experienced football in South America, Europe, Asia and North America. Among his notable experiences was playing in Venezuela’s top division, featuring in the Copa Sudamericana and participating in a Bolivian derby involving Blooming before an estimated crowd of 45,000 spectators.

His journey has also exposed him to difficult playing conditions. Abot recalled his experience in Latvia, where he had to play in extremely cold weather, with temperatures dropping to around minus 20 degrees Celsius.

Despite the challenges, the Argentine has remained committed to his unusual football mission, which he considers more than simply a professional sporting ambition.

For Abot, scoring on every continent would represent the culmination of years of travelling, adapting to different environments and pursuing opportunities wherever football takes him.

Africa is now his biggest remaining challenge. He has specifically identified Cape Verde as a possible destination and has appealed to the country’s goalkeeper, Vozinha, to help connect him with one of his former clubs in the country.

Abot is hopeful that such a connection could open the door to another playing opportunity and bring him closer to completing his goal.

He also hopes that, once achieved and properly documented, his feat could receive recognition from Guinness World Records. However, any official recognition would depend on the organisation’s verification and acceptance of the achievement.

In explaining his ambition, Abot has referred to German goalkeeper Lutz Pfannenstiel, who famously played football on every continent. However, he considers his own challenge different because his objective is specifically to score goals across all five inhabited continents.

With 43 clubs and 14 countries already forming part of his remarkable journey, Abot is now looking towards Africa for the final chapter of his adventure.

A successful spell in Cape Verde could give the Argentine footballer the opportunity to complete an ambition that has shaped nearly two decades of his career and further demonstrate how football can open doors to different cultures and experiences around the world.