Man Utd boss Jose Mourinho greets starstruck ball boy

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A Rostov ball boy was star struck by Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho
Mourinho greeted the child with a cheeky grin before giving him a hug
The ball boy was visibly delighted by Mourinho ahead of the Europa League tie
Manchester United drew 1-1 with Russian side Rostov in first leg of last 16 clash

Published: 07:47 EDT, 10 March 2017 | Updated: 16:33 EDT, 10 March 2017

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Seeing a modern football icon like Jose Mourinho in person is awe-inspiring for any fan, and particularly for children, and one young Russian ball boy was certainly no exception.

As the ball boys lined up in the tunnel at the Olimp-2 Stadium ahead of the Europa League last 16 tie between Rostov and Manchester United on Thursday, Mourinho came out to greet them.

He soon caught the eye of one particularly star struck young football fan, who covered his mouth in adorable shock as the Manchester United boss gave him a cheeky grin.

That moment when you meet Josè Mourinho. Exclusive scenes before Rostov vs United. pic.twitter.com/BoDkaP7U8M
— Stefano Conforti (@confortistefano) March 10, 2017

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho greets a star struck ball boy in Rostov

Mourinho gave the lad a hug, with the ball boy unable to believe his good fortune

In the video shared on Twitter by Russian football writer Stefano Conforti, Mourinho gets up close and personal with the lad, who cannot believe his luck, to give him a hug while his colleagues look on jealously.

The Portuguese manager the, slightly bizarrely, leans his face into the top of the boy's woolly hatted head, before going on his way down the tunnel.

As he leaves the ball boy behind, his fan still cannot quite grasp what has happened, his hands on his head and eyes wide as he reflects on a moment with a hero that he will not forget.

It was a rare moment of levity from Mourinho, who was left frustrated with United's 1-1 draw in Russia having led in the first half through Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and angry at the desperately poor state of the Rostov pitch.

Mourinho walks off down the tunnel, leaving one young fan with memories to treasure

Mourinho's Manchester United drew 1-1 with Rostov on a poor pitch at the Olimp-2 stadium

'It was a very good performance in relation to the conditions,' Mourinho said. 'It was impossible to play better, impossible to play a passing game.

'To see my players coping with it and the humility to fight for every ball is a good feeling for me. I said before the game that I didn't want to go more and more into this. It is done. There are no injuries.'

United face Rostov at Old Trafford in the second leg next Thursday, where all the ball boys will be on tenterhooks, hopeful they will be the next to catch Mourinho's eye.