Borussia Dortmund’s Sebastien Haller received a joyous welcome back from his teammates as he returned to training following his triumph at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with the Ivory Coast.
His late goal secured a 2-1 victory over Nigeria in the final, completing a remarkable comeback after battling cancer just 18 months ago.
Ahead of Dortmund’s clash with Wolfsburg this Saturday, Haller’s teammates orchestrated a lively celebration during Thursday morning’s training session.
The players surrounded the 29-year-old striker, showering him in orange, white, and green confetti to symbolise the Ivory Coast flag.
Video footage shared on social media captured the heartwarming scenes as an elated Haller danced with his club teammates amidst applause and cheers. The celebration unfolded on the training ground in Brackel, creating a memorable moment for the Ivory Coast hero.
Der Moment der Rückkehr! 😍 pic.twitter.com/kIHhyUEEi6
— Borussia Dortmund (@BVB) February 15, 2024
- Haller’s hat-trick of success: Overcoming cancer, returning to football, and winning AFCON
- What a Haller! From testicular cancer to AFCON winner
- Nigeria’s AFCON 2023 heroes get land allocation from government
Despite grappling with injuries this season, limiting his role at the German club and causing him to miss the early AFCON games, Haller played a pivotal role in the knockout phase upon regaining fitness.
He scored a crucial goal in the semi-final against DR Congo with an unconventional volley and netted the decisive goal in the final.
The Ivory Coast’s AFCON journey was marked by adversity, including a group stage thrashing and a coaching change. Nevertheless, they persevered and progressed to the latter stages as one of the best third-placed teams.
Looking ahead, Haller and Dortmund are set to face Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga on Saturday before meeting Dutch opponents PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League next Tuesday.
