SAO PAULO (Reuters) - It was the sharp eye of a Brazilian TV reporter that led to Silvia Grecco being awarded FIFA’s Best Fan award in Milan on Monday.
The reporter noticed the Palmeiras fan talking to her blind son Nickollas during a derby match against Corinthians and asked a camera operator to film the scene in the stands.
By the time Grecco and the then 11-year old Nikollas had left the stadium, the footage had been shown all over Brazil.
"He told the people who were broadcasting the game that there was this mother commentating this beautiful scene for her son and it went viral," Grecco told CBN radio in Sao Paulo.
"I didn’t even know we were being filmed. When I left the stadium I realised so many people were talking about it.
“It’s not new, we’ve been doing it for years, at least once a month… unseen in the middle of the crowd."
Nikollas, who was born four months premature and was adopted by Grecco, is a fanatical Palmeiras fan.
His mother stressed she does more than relay the action to her mildly autistic son.
She sings along with the rest of the crowd and shouts to players, encouraging them to shoot, pass and change position.
"I am not an official narrator mum," she said. "I describe the details of the atmosphere as well, the characteristics of each player, whether they have dyed hair, or long sleeves, or what colour of boots they are wearing."
"Narrating the goal is the most exciting part, I have no doubt about that."
Grecco won the Best Fan Award with 58.36% of the vote.
(Reporting by Andrew Downie, editing by Pritha Sarkar)