He tried to walk to the World Cup in Qatar, and ended up in a scary prison in Iran

Santiago was arrested in October 2022 in Iranian Kurdistan. “It was crazy,” he recalls.

They took all my things, stripped me of my clothes, dressed me in prison clothes, and left me in a cell with the lights on all the time. I don't know how to explain it, but it passed and now everything is fine.
Santiago Sanchez Cojedor

The first cells, according to Santiago, were small, where he spent his days alone. After that, he shared the cells with other prisoners. In all, Santiago says he went through seven cells. He communicated with the prisoners in English, in addition to learning to speak Persian.

In prison, I would wake up, have breakfast, put on my work clothes, go to the wood shop, then exercise and teach Spanish. It was a fairly simple routine.
Santiago Sanchez Cojedor

For some time, Santiago was detained in the terrifying Evin Prison. Located in Tehran, the country's capital, the prison was built in 1972 and has gained international attention for detaining political prisoners in poor conditions over the years.

Many things were running through my head. In the end I thought I would leave soon, but this uncertainty killed me. I drew strength from many places, including the people who were waiting for me, and my family in heaven.
Santiago Sanchez Cojedor