Ivorian Sébastien Haller will go down in historical past because the scorer of the ultimate purpose, ultimately the matchwinner, within the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
But earlier than taking part in within the event, the Borussia Dortmund ahead had undergone two surgical procedures and numerous rounds of chemotherapy for testicular most cancers.
This was detected in July 2022, simply two weeks after becoming a member of the Bundesliga facet from Ajax.
He recovered very nicely in January 2023 to return to full coaching.
Slightly over a 12 months later, Haller has develop into a winner of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Curiously, he began his worldwide profession taking part in for the French youth facet, from U-16 to U-21.
Switching nationality and making his debut for the West Africans in 2020, he scored in opposition to Madagascar in a 2021 AFCON qualifier.
He was a part of the Elephants group that misplaced to Egypt on penalties within the Round of 16 at Cameroon 2021.
🇨🇮🏆 🙏
Incredible journey.
Congratulations Ivory Coast 🇨🇮
Sebastien Haller pic.twitter.com/7lul2ZLRud— John Terry (@JohnTerry26) February 12, 2024
His inclusion on this 12 months’s AFCON was of venture as he suffered a knee harm in December.
Therefore, he couldn’t play an element within the Elephants’ group video games, approaching instead within the Round of 16 in opposition to Senegal.
The man who was pivotal in Ajax’s spectacular run within the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League made his presence felt in subsequent video games, scoring the one purpose within the semi-final tie in opposition to DR Congo.
“𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱” ☝️
Sebastien Haller scored a banger to grant us the #GoalOfTheDay! 🎶@1xBet_Eng | #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023Final pic.twitter.com/Nwrd92DVHg
— CAF (@CAF_Online) February 12, 2024
He rose to the event within the ultimate on the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara D’Ebimpé on Sunday when he sublimely tapped Simon Adingra’s cross within the 81st minute to clinch the match winner for his facet.
Haller doesn’t come within the type of Ivory Coast greats like Laurent Poku or Didier Drogba however his position within the final three video games for the Elephants won’t go unrecognized, at the least after beating most cancers to win a 3rd African title for the West Africans.
By Kwame Amoh || Onua Sports
