10-year-old Jay Beatty, the Giorgos Samaras fan who moved the world during Mundial in Brazil was in Athens on Monday at the invitation of the Greek Sports Journalists’ Association. The Irish Down’s syndrome sufferer began a fan of the striker during his tenure at Celtic – the boy’s favorite team. He rose to prominance when Mr. Samaras picked him up from the crowd when the Glasgow team lifted the Scottish Premiership trophy.

A campaign to get the young boy to Brazil to watch his favorite striker play for Greece went viral during the World Cup. Unfortunately, however, the event clashed with a family vacation.

The young fan, however was present to see Mr. Samaras given an award for his “contribution to sports and his ethos” by the Greek Sports Journalist’s Association. The union is also giving an award to the young boy. In its invitation, the union said that the award is being given to the young boy and his hero for “the message of humanity and sensitivity which they sent worldwide.”