A touching tale. The Ivorian midfielder elucidated whom he pays homage during goal celebrations

The Ivorian national team midfielder, Franck Kessié, revealed why he prefers to "pay homage" during goal celebrations. The Ivorian explained that in this manner, he honors the memory of his late father.

It was in this style that the Al-Ahli midfielder marked his precise strike against Nigeria in the final of the African Cup of Nations.

"My father was a footballer in Ivory Coast, but later he joined the army to serve his country. He passed away when I was 11 years old. So when I score, I like to celebrate it as a tribute to his memory," Kessié shared.

The Ivory Coast national team won the home African Cup of Nations. In the final, they defeated Nigeria 2:1. Goals from Kessié and Sebastian Haller secured victory for the tournament hosts. The Elephants became the strongest team on the continent for the third time in their history.