UEFA Names ‘Best Fan Moment’: Armenian Boy Ruben Meets Ronaldo

A special moment touched fans worldwide during Armenia’s World Cup qualifier against Portugal in Yerevan. A young Armenian boy, Ruben, joined Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo on the field, creating a scene that UEFA called “last week’s best fan moment.”

Ruben has hearing and speech disabilities and plays inclusive football, a program for children with different health and developmental challenges. His lifelong dream was to meet Cristiano Ronaldo — a dream that came true on the night of the match, where Armenia lost 5-0 to Portugal.

Ruben walked hand-in-hand with Ronaldo before the game at the packed Republican Stadium. Every child who joined the players on the field had their own health or developmental challenges, which made the moment even more meaningful.

Ruben trains with other children in adaptive football and could not hold back his tears as he stood beside his hero. Cristiano Ronaldo later shared a video of the moment on his Instagram, writing: “I made a new friend yesterday. Grateful for the love and support every single day and I hope everyone gets to follow their dreams!” The post quickly went viral, drawing millions of reactions.

For Ruben and all the children on the field that night, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience filled with joy, pride, and hope.

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