Middlesbrough defender Fabio had just been smiling about the trick he intends to play on his team-mates with twin brother Rafael this Christmas when conversation turns to last month’s plane crash in Colombia which killed 19 players of Brazilian club Chapecoense.
He pauses and checks his emotion. On the day that news broke of the tragedy which claimed the lives of 71 of the 77 on board en route to the Copa Sudamericana final in Medellin, Fabio cried.
He cried again this week as he watched television pictures of survivor Alan Ruschel walking for the first time with the aid of hospital staff.