 "2018 in the rearview mirror: From coach Roger Federer to Mo Salah making visually impaired fan's day, most heartwarming moments")
2018 was not short of headline-making stories. Yet, somewhere in the din smaller instances of athletes and teams showing their humane side was lost. As 2018 winds down, here’s a list of the most heartwarming stories from sports from the year: Virgil van Dijk consoles referee
Captain @VirgilvDijk; leading by example 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/HrH2UhfeOk
— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) November 20, 2018
Leicester City’s emotional homecoming after owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha’s passing away
Simply amazing. pic.twitter.com/eDsnrRSq1G
— Leicester City (@LCFC) November 3, 2018
Young fan hands a note to Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha’s son as football returns to King Power Stadium
'Forever in our hearts'
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) November 10, 2018
On an emotional day in #Leicester, players marched with 10,000 fans to the stadium, tears flowed around the King Power, and the late #VichaiSrivaddhanaprabha's son #Aiyawatt laid a wreath in honour of his father. #LeiBur
Read: https://t.co/czgVT6yRPi pic.twitter.com/8wrWvNeVT9
New Zealand player’s family performs Haka for him
AN EMOTIONAL HAKA 🏉🇳🇿
— Laureus (@LaureusSport) November 7, 2018
Is this your #LaureusSportingMoment of the Month?
Vote now 👉 https://t.co/ogvHicu0DJ pic.twitter.com/o2yJI7nFk5
Topless taekwondo star from Tonga turns cross-country skiier
Impact Shorts
More ShortsAlonso gets a donut sendoff from Formula 1
What a way to send him off... #GraciasFernando pic.twitter.com/IXyKIwmAno
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 26, 2018
Visually impaired Liverpool fan gets to meet players, including Mo Salah, after video of him celebrating goal goes viral
"To Michael, your support is an inspiration. Mo Salah" ❤️@MoSalah invited @MikeKearney1 for a special visit to Melwood after a video of him celebrating our decisive #UCL winner against @sscnapoli went viral... pic.twitter.com/zHo67eBdfK
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 20, 2018
When Mo Salah made a young fan’s day
"Thank you Mo" ❤
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 12, 2018
The moment @MoSalah made this young fan's day. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/8vO8XlyqVK
When LeBron James made a return to Cleveland as a Laker
LeBron James receives a warm welcoming back in Cleveland!
— NBA (@NBA) November 22, 2018
WATCH the action on ESPN pic.twitter.com/qUV7x0BNmF
Hamilton and Vettel exchange helmets as a symbol of mutual respect
They battled fiercely all season on track... ⚔️
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 26, 2018
But off the circuit, there's ultimate respect between Lewis and Seb 🤝pic.twitter.com/UVhM6ehF2G
When a high school volleyball team lost all of their kits in the California fire, their state semi-final opponents surprised them with jerseys, food and even donations!
Making state semifinals would normally be a big deal, but some of these high school volleyball players lost everything in the California fires. So their opponents surprised them with brand-new jerseys, kneepads, food and thousands of dollars in donations. https://t.co/0IEGUSDYSp pic.twitter.com/7ykxHTxXLK
— CNN (@CNN) November 20, 2018
Donovan Mitchell brightens a young fan’s day after spotting the kid wearing his high school jersey
Donovan Mitchell spots a young fan wearing his high school jersey & invites him onto the court pregame! #ThisIsWhyWePlay pic.twitter.com/EQksiRwpSC
— NBA (@NBA) November 18, 2018
When no one turned up for a six-year-old’s birthday party, Phoenix Suns invited him to a game against the LA Lakers
How about we celebrate with thousands at our place! Tickets to Wednesday’s #SunsVSLakers game are all yours Teddy! Talk soon! https://t.co/YL3zjDX9JW
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) October 22, 2018
Meet the high-fiving grandmom
Alastair Cook gets a gift from media on his Test retirement
There was a gift for Alastair Cook at the press conference #ThankYouChef pic.twitter.com/UV6fFcM1JL
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) September 10, 2018
James Anderson got emotional while talking about Alastair Cook’s departure
"He's my best friend. I am going to miss him"
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) September 11, 2018
An emotional Jimmy Anderson struggles to keep the tears back when paying tribute to Alastair Cook.
Watch 🏴#ENGvIND🇮🇳 reaction on Sky Sports Cricket or follow: https://t.co/monTXhlnfq pic.twitter.com/gjFLRhq96t
Everyone loves N’Golo Kante
Ahead of her US Open final against Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka has a message for the American
Naomi Osaka's message to Serena before they face each other in the US Open final?
— espnW (@espnW) September 7, 2018
"I love you." 😂😭 pic.twitter.com/B7m8FzJWjm
Serena Williams asks fans to stop booing and celebrate Naomi Osaka’s US Open victory
.@serenawilliams instructs crowd to stop booing and celebrate @Naomi_Osaka_'s moment of winning her first grand slam. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/LOAyB42OmQ
— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) September 8, 2018
Naomi Osaka talks about feeling like a fan again after hugging her idol Serena Williams post her US Open win
"When I step on the court, I'm not a Serena fan - I'm just a tennis player playing another tennis player. But when I hugged her at the net, I felt like a little kid again."
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 9, 2018
❤ @Naomi_Osaka_ lets us into her heart...#USOpen pic.twitter.com/GlCigEQUiv
When a stray dog became the ‘assistant manager’ of a football club in Paraguay
And here's Tesapara watching on from the stands after being sent off from the technical area ❌ 🐶 [@club2demayo] pic.twitter.com/vpkwXbQFO5
— Matias Grez (@matias_grez) September 5, 2018
Novak Djokovic consoles Juan Martin del Potro after beating him in the US Open final
From one champion to another.
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 9, 2018
These are the moments we love to see...#USOpen pic.twitter.com/MfmZbWV0B1
Roger Federer coaches Zverev at Laver Cup
More coaching gold from @RogerFederer #LaverCup pic.twitter.com/qG0IBvDQBZ
— Laver Cup (@LaverCup) September 23, 2018
And here’s Federer advising Novak Djokovic as well at the Laver Cup
Match commentary tonight provided to you courtesy of #TeamEurope2018's @DjokerNole and @RogerFederer. #LaverCup pic.twitter.com/TyElaPKz8r
— Laver Cup (@LaverCup) September 23, 2018
 "US ready to ‘impose costs’ on Russia if war in Ukraine drags on, says Hegseth")
 "US tells Hamas to stop violence against Gaza civilians and disarm 'without delay'")
 "China seizes 60,000 maps mislabelling Taiwan, omitting South China Sea islands")
 "Syria’s Sharaa pledges to honor Russia ties, seeks economic and military support in Kremlin visit")
 "US ready to ‘impose costs’ on Russia if war in Ukraine drags on, says Hegseth")
 "US tells Hamas to stop violence against Gaza civilians and disarm 'without delay'")
 "China seizes 60,000 maps mislabelling Taiwan, omitting South China Sea islands")
 "Syria’s Sharaa pledges to honor Russia ties, seeks economic and military support in Kremlin visit")
