The date is November 20, 2012 and Celtic have just played Benfica in Lisbon in a UEFA Champions League group match.

The teams have already drawn 0-0 at Paradise and as the supporters of both sides stream out of the Estadio da Luz following a game won 2-1 by the home side, two supporters out of the 49,000 heading out into the dusk of the Portuguese capital just happen to cross paths.

One is a 13-year-old Benfica academy hopeful, happy that his side have won 2-1 and the other is a Celtic supporter who, despite the scoreline, is looking for a memento before the long flight home.

That 13-year-old was Joao Pedro Neves Filipe, now known as Jota, and the twist of fate from that night has now come full circle as that wide-eyed youngster joined the Hoops in the summer 2021 transfer window.

The new Bhoy said: “I’ve always paid attention to Celtic. When I was younger and I was with Benfica and Celtic were playing them in the Champions League. I remember that I went to the stadium and I changed scarves with a Celtic fan.

“I think I still have it at home in Portugal. So since that day I’ve always remembered that club – Celtic. And then I paid attention because there were a lot of young players breaking though and I know a lot of players that have been playing for Celtic. It’s a historical club, so I’ve been paying attention.

“It was at the end of the game when we were returning home and I saw a few Celtic fans, and they asked if we wanted to switch scarves.

'I gave him my scarf and he gave me his, so it was a nice gesture.'

“My mum is here in Scotland with me and she says she thinks she still has it – I will try to bring it!”

Celtic’s amazing away support and one fan particular with that ‘nice gesture’ unwittingly played their part in the club’s capture of Jota over a decade later.

Scarf ace Hoops fan’s gesture hooks Jota on the Celts