THE Sebastian Ale he is a true fighter of life. He faced testicular cancer, beat it and recently won the Africa Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast.
The Ivorian striker gave an interview to the English “Athletic”, mentioning the difficulties he experienced, sent encouraging messages for the continuation, while expressing his feelings about the recent success of his national team.
“I checked it several times with my physiotherapist and we tried several things but the pain didn’t go away. I asked the Dortmund doctors to do an echocardiogram and they saw that there was something pressing on my abdomen. We checked it the other day and they found the tumor. They told me I had to operate and that we could start the next day.
I knew it was cancer. It is a harsh word and scares everyone, no one wants to have it, but when you experience it, you gain more knowledge about it. You become a different person but you don’t realize it. You try to do the best you can but you suffer. Your people try to hide their sadness and emotion, but it is very difficult. You become less patient, angrier and more emotional. Communication with your loved ones is everything.
I have received messages from people saying that because of my own experience, they discovered something was wrong with them. I am very proud knowing that I helped even one person. That’s why I made the documentary. I wanted to show my life even though I was sick. Anyone can get sick but you have to pick yourself up when you fall, take strength from family and friends and enjoy every moment you can.”he emphasized regarding the health adventure he experienced.
His return to the Ivory Coast national team was accompanied by a huge success, winning the Africa Cup of Nations. Despite the bad start, Ale’s team reached the final of the competition and lifted the trophy (2-1), with the 29-year-old scoring the crucial second goal, where he decided the match.
“Losing to Nigeria in the group was a nightmare. You feel like nothing is working the way you want it to. You come, you’re injured, you can’t compete and you’re getting close to disqualification. It was a fading dream. It was very difficult but we didn’t have time to get emotional, we had a responsibility and we had to show that we deserve a second chance. I don’t even know how we managed to conquer it. It’s just destiny. We can try to explain it, but the truth is that we don’t control anything».
In July 2022, Sebastien Haller was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
In February 2023, Haller beat cancer and then he made a return to football.
In February 2024, Haller scores the ??????????????? goal for Ivory Coast in the AFCON final.
Never give up. ???????? pic.twitter.com/90XGnTIGjN
— Football Talk (@FootballTalkHQ) February 12, 2024
Edited by: Loizos Lainidis
Source: Sport Fm
I am currently a news writer for News Bulletin247 where I mostly cover sports news. I have always been interested in writing and it is something I am very passionate about. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends.
