Sebastien Haller breaks down in tears after AFCON win 13 months after return from cancer

Sebastien Haller was overcome with emotion when speaking to reporters after he scored the winning goal for Ivory Coast in the Africa Cup of Nations final against Nigeria

Sebastien Haller managed to keep his cool on the pitch, but he was overcome with emotion after firing Ivory Coast to victory in the Africa Cup of Nations final.

The former West Ham striker produced an instinctive finish to convert Simon Adringra’s cross and secure a 2-1 win over Nigeria on Sunday. The victory, coming on home soil after going 1-0 down, was a fitting conclusion to a drama-filled tournament.

That Haller should provide the winning touch made things extra special for Ivory Coast. That he was even playing in the match was remarkable enough, given what the 29-year-old has been through in the past few years. It was July 2022 when Haller was diagnosed with testicular cancer.

He has overcome the disease and is now back doing what he does best for Borussia Dortmund and his country. Given the goal’s magnitude, his celebration was fairly understated, but after he’d had time for it all to sink in, the tears came while speaking to reporters inside the Alassane Ouattara Stadium.

"We dreamed of this moment so many times," Haller said after taking a moment to compose himself. "We hoped to get to this point and once again the match wasn't an easy one. The joyous scenes we see now, what's happening in the country, they deserve it too. I really hope it does a lot of people good."

After receiving the diagnosis, Haller underwent an operation to have his cancerous testicle removed. He then went through chemotherapy and spent five days in a hospital bed, unable to move. In the end, he had two operations and multiple rounds of chemotherapy.

Haller worked hard on his fitness and made his comeback for Dortmund in January 2023, scoring his first Bundesliga goal the following month. Now, a year on, he has been rewarded with the biggest goal of his career which landed the AFCON trophy for his country.

"I am so happy for Haller," former Ivory Coast star Kolo Toure said on BBC Three. “He went through a tough time but he did unbelievably for the team. He is a humble man, and he works hard for the team. He is just someone who wants to help his team-mates. I am so happy he scored that goal – it is fantastic for him and for the country."

After the diagnosis, the most difficult part for Haller was telling his children and putting on a brave face. “As soon as you have kids, you don't have time to think bad because they need you. No matter what has happened, you need to show them everything is fine,” he told BBC Sport in February 2023.

“Of course you have some bad moments but I don't think that was the lowest part. Even if emotionally it wasn't easy because I was sick, all the attention was turned to me, not to other people, not to people from my family who suffer as well. No-one cares about them, which is a big problem.”

After beating Nigeria, Haller shared a wonderful moment with his family. With his son on his shoulders and his medal around his neck, the emotions were etched all over his face. Whatever happens in the rest of his career, he’ll always be a winner.

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