Young Boys players pay tribute to teammate Meschack Elia in Champions League game after his son died
Young Boys' Lukasz Lakomy, second from left, celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Young Boys in Stuttgart, Germany, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Tom Weller]
STUTTGART, Germany (AP) — Players from Swiss team Young Boys have held up teammate Meschack Elia’s shirt as a tribute during their Champions League game at Stuttgart after his son died this week. Lukasz Lakomy gave Young Boys the lead with a powerful long-range shot in the sixth minute and ran toward the sideline, where he held up Elia’s shirt as his teammates gathered round. Young Boys said in a statement earlier Wednesday that one of Elia’s sons had “died completely unexpectedly following a short illness” in Elia’s home country of Congo. The club added Elia was on his way to Congo to be with his family.
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