Suffering from a rare genetic disorder, the young Vasco da Gama supporter has captured the hearts of a country.
Guilherme Gandra Moura, the courageous young Vasco da Gama supporter who captured the hearts of Brazilian football, has won the 2024 FIFA Fan Award.
Last June, eight-year-old 'Gui', who suffers from a rare genetic condition known as epidermolysis bullosa, was put into a coma after developing pneumonia. He woke up after 16 days and the video of him and his mother reuniting quickly went viral.
The young Brazilian is a devoted fan of Vasco da Gama and was helped in his recovery by the club's then star player, Gabriel Pec, who regularly visited him in hospital. When Gui was able to leave the hospital, he was introduced to the rest of the squad and was chosen as the mascot for a match in August 2023.
Gui has also won the affection of fans across the country, including those of Vasco's arch-rivals Flamengo and Fluminense.
Launched in 2016, the FIFA Fan Award celebrates an exceptional expression of dedication from a fan or group of fans, regardless of their league, gender or nationality. The prize can also be awarded for a moment or gesture that strikes a chord in the football world.
How the winner of the FIFA Fan Award was determined
The three finalists were selected by a panel consisting of FIFA Legends and football experts.
The winner was then determined by a public vote on FIFA's official website.
Each voter made their first, second and third choices for the winner, with points awarded to each nominee depending on where he or she was ranked (five points for first place, three for second, one for third)
The Best FIFA Fan Award was then presented to the finalist with the highest final score.
If the finalists have the same number of points, the prize will be awarded to the person who receives the most first-choice selections.
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