Even in defeat, Jose Mourinho managed to bring joy to a young football fan as he graciously handed him his Europa League runners-up medal.
Following AS Roma’s heartbreaking loss on penalties to the seasoned winners Sevilla in the Europa League final, Mourinho chose to give away his own medal to a fan.
Initially, there were claims that Mourinho had tossed his medal into the crowd as an expression of disappointment after relinquishing a 1-0 lead, only to ultimately succumb to a thrilling 4-1 penalty shootout defeat in Budapest.
However, photos have revealed that Mourinho deliberately singled out the young fan, who is reported to be an Israeli supporter of Roma, and presented him with the medal.
The young boy was absolutely delighted by Mourinho’s kind gesture.
Meanwhile, the Portuguese manager continues to make headlines for his outburst at referee Anthony Taylor in the car park.
[irp posts=”297286″ ]
The former Chelsea manager labelled the Premier League referee a “disgrace” in explicit terms, alleging biased officiating that he believes ultimately cost his team and tarnished his impressive record in European finals.
Until Wednesday, Mourinho had never lost a European final, boasting a flawless 100% record in five attempts. However, his record crumbled against a Sevilla side renowned for their prowess in the Europa League, having triumphed in all seven of their previous final appearances, including the one last night.