COLOGNE, Germany (AP) — Anthony Modeste let the tears come after scoring for his late father on Saturday.
It took three attempts for the French striker to score Cologne’s opening goal in a 1-1 draw with Leipzig in the Bundesliga. The first two were ruled out by VAR and the third goal was initially disallowed by the referee before he awarded it after another VAR intervention.
Modeste reacted by pointing to the sky and tearing up. He was thinking of his father Guy, who died after illness aged 64 in December 2018.
“Papa’s birthday is today,” Modeste told Sky TV, again becoming tearful. “Yeah, it’s emotional for me. I lost my father three years ago and he’s very important to me.”
It was Modeste’s fourth goal in five league games this season. Altogether, including a stint at Hoffenheim, he has 67 in 163 Bundesliga appearances.
Guy Modeste was also a soccer player. He played as a defender for French teams Saint-Étienne, Cannes and Châteauroux, mostly in the second division.
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