The former Tottenham midfielder Nabil Bentaleb scored an emotional return to football with a goal, eight months after suffering a cardiac arrest.
The 30 -year -old, who now plays for the French team Lille, contemplated retirement last year after being hospitalized due to a heart attack in June.
However, Bentaleb completed his remarkable recovery of the match that endangers life on Sunday by scoring the opener in Lille's 2-0 victory in Rennes.
The Algerian international was taken to the field by Chief Bruno Genesio with 15 minutes on the clock, and the two parts locked at a dead point.
Bentaleb took only four minutes to score his moved return with a goal in Roazhon Park, reacting faster after a strong save from Brice Samba to squeeze the ball in the back post.
Then he ran to the Bank of Lille, which was overcome by joy, to celebrate with his teammates and his coach.
Nabil Bentaleb scored four minutes to return to football after suffering a cardiac arrest
The former Spurs star was hospitalized in June and advised not to return to the field
The celebrations of his strike were emotional since he was suffocated by teammates and staff.
The victory was completed by former Arsenal attacker and Middlesbrough Chuba Akpom four minutes after time.
“It's worthy of a movie,” said Lille Genesio manager. 'He deserved it, because I don't believe in luck, he believed in himself. It is an incredible and wonderful story.
'At that time, I didn't see who had scored. It was only when I saw him run, I realized that it was him. My staff got up.
Nabil's goal put us in the cloud nine, is difficult to describe. It could be a moment that will mark the end of our season, which will remain recorded in the history of the club, this season, and in Nabil's mind, of course.
'It is difficult to talk about that, because it is quite unlikely and incredible imagine that it could happen. It is a beautiful story.
At the end of June, Lille confirmed that Bentaleb had been hospitalized due to a 'disease' and revealed that he was being treated at the Hospital of the University of Lille.
In the following days, it came to light that the midfielder had suffered a cardiac arrest and had to have a pacemaker equipped to stabilize his heart.
Bentaleb was advised to move away from the game, but instead he chose to follow the steps of Christian Eriksen showing an extraordinary resilience to return to the elite level.
Bentaleb only returned to Lille's training on Thursday, eight months after having a heart attack
The midfielder was serenade for full -time Lille fans while celebrating an inrumorable night
Follow the steps of Christian Eriksen, who made a sensational return to sport after having a cardiac arrest in the 2020 Eurocup
The Algerian midfielder only returned to the complete training of the team on Thursday, but Genesio still trusted him to play minutes against Rennes, and was worth it.
“It was an explosion of a great emotion, you can see,” said Lille Bafode Diakite defender when he remembered the goal. 'Already when he began to train with us again, it was something.
'But for him to offer the first goal that took us to Rennes, there is nothing more beautiful. Have I already experienced that? No, this goes beyond football.
'It is the story of a life, we can only be happy. We don't even know if he is going to sleep tonight, it's very big. We are all happy for him.
'The followers were also behind him, it was a kind of thanks to see them. Nabil remains reserved. I was happy in any case.
Bentaleb began his young career in the installation of the academy in Lille before joining the youth ranks of the Spurs in 2012. He then obtained his senior debut the following year.
The Algerian made 66 appearances in total for the club before signing for Schalke in a permanent agreement in 2017 after a successful loan of the season.
Bentaleb has represented Algeria in four main tournaments and won 66 caps for her country.
The Algerian made 66 appearances in total for Tottenham before joining Schalke in 2017
He scored 19 goals in 107 appearances for the club and returned to the Premier League for a short loan period in Newcastle United in 2020.
Bentaleb finally left Schalke and moved to the attire of Ligue 1 Angers for a season before settling in a change to Lille, his current club, last summer.
By winning 66 caps for his country, Bentaleb has represented Algeria in the 2014 World Cup and the Cup of Nations of Africa in 2015, 2017 and 2023.