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Title: From Norwich to Curitiba: One Shirt, Two Cities and a Football Family Without Borders

CURITIBA, Brazil / NORWICH, England 10th Aug 2026 — Coritiba may be less familiar to British audiences than Norwich City, but the Brazilian club has created a recognisable story: a supporter, a family and two fan bases united across continents. Its tribute to Jonny Butcher shows how clubs can turn relationships into support.Coritiba Foot Ball Club turned a Brazilian top-flight match into a global statement about what football can mean beyond the score. At Estádio Couto Pereira, the club honoured Jonny Butcher, a 29-year-old supporter from Norwich, England, who is living with a motor neurone disease, commonly known as MND. The players wore a special shirt carrying his name, a sunflower representing hope and rare-disease awareness, and the message, “Your strength inspires us. We stand as one.” The squad also entered the field with a banner bearing the same words.Jonny grew up supporting Norwich City FC. He discovered Coritiba through the connection between the English and Brazilian clubs, while his bond with Curitiba deepened after he met Ana Clara, a Curitiba native who became his wife. From more than 9,000 kilometres away, Jonny followed Coritiba late at night and hoped to return to Couto Pereira with his brother-in-law, Lucas Espinoza. When his condition made that journey impossible, Coritiba brought him into the heart of match day. Lucas represented Jonny and the family inside the stadium.The setting gave the action greater meaning. Founded in 1909, Coritiba is one of Brazil’s football institutions. Its name retains an earlier spelling of Curitiba, tying the club directly to the city it represents. Its home in Alto da Glória has welcomed generations since 1932, and the Couto Pereira has become a civic landmark as well as a football stadium. Coritiba, widely known as C...

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