JURGEN KLOPP HAS won virtually every trophy there is to win during his time at Liverpool, but more important has been his ability to win hearts and minds. 

Klopp gave twelve-year-old Dáire Gorman from Monaghan a once in a lifetime experience earlier this year, inviting him to spend a day at Liverpool’s training ground. 

Dáire was born with a very rare condition called Crommelin Syndrome, from which only seven or eight people suffer across the world. He was born without arms from his elbow down and without the femur bone in both of his legs, meaning he is a full-time wheelchair user. 

He is also a huge Liverpool fan. “My life is Liverpool”, says Dáire. “It’s a complete escape, there’s nothing I love more.” 

Dáire made his first trip to Anfield earlier this year, for a 3-0 victory over Aston Villa.

That trip was arranged by the Little Blue Heroes Foundation – a charity that aims to support families of children with serious illnesses in Ireland – in conjunction with Ted Morris, chair of the Liverpool Disabled Supporters Association.

Afterwards, footage of Dáire weeping during You’ll Never Walk Alone went viral, and among the millions of people to see it was one Jurgen Klopp. 

Klopp then decided to invite Dáire and his family to Liverpool’s training base for a day, to meet him, the players and watch them train. 

Having returned to Anfield to watch a thrilling 4-3 victory over Fulham on 3 December – UN’s annual International Day of Persons with Disabilities – Dáire and his family went out to Liverpool’s training ground to meet his heroes. 

Klopp gave Dáire a tour of Liverpool’s facilities, bumping into Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Wataru Endo, and Luis Diaz along the way. 

You can watch the video below. Klopp told Dáire he was close to tears: he wasn’t alone. 

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