Cristiano Ronaldo: "I found a new friend in Armenia"

Global football star Cristiano Ronaldo touched the hearts of Armenian fans with a heartfelt gesture. After the Armenia vs Portugal match (0:5) held on September 6 in Yerevan as part of the first round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, the Portuguese player shared a video on social media featuring a young Armenian fan who accompanied him during the teams’ entrance onto the pitch.

“Yesterday I found a new friend. Grateful for the love and support every day, and I hope that everyone can follow their dream,” Ronaldo wrote in the video caption.

During the national anthems, the young Armenian couldn’t hide his emotions: his eyes sparkled with joy at being next to his idol. The video quickly went viral on social media, sparking a wave of warm comments and reactions.

The boy’s name is Ruben — he has hearing and speech difficulties. Meeting Ronaldo was his dream.

In the match against Armenia, Cristiano Ronaldo scored two goals.