Said El Mala was deeply moved by his first goal for the German U21 team, scored shortly after the passing of his grandmother, Silla.
«When I scored the goal, everything just burst out of me. It was the most emotional moment of my life – I couldn’t hold back my tears,» the 19-year-old wrote on Instagram on Wednesday, sharing a photo of himself as a baby in his grandmother’s arms.
El Mala had learned of his grandmother’s death on Friday, shortly after the 3-0 victory against Northern Ireland in Braunschweig. Despite the tragic news, he traveled with the DFB team for the crucial European Championship qualifying match in Greece.
A day after the 2-0 win in Athens, he thanked his teammates. «In this difficult time, you gave me so much strength. Without you, none of this would have been possible. You made it easier for me to deal with the pain and move on,» wrote the 1. FC Köln attacking player.
After scoring the opening goal, El Mala blew a kiss to the sky and wiped away his tears with his jersey, while his teammates consoled him. «I know deep in my heart that my grandma was watching from above and is incredibly proud of me. I will love you forever, Grandma Silla,» El Mala concluded.