With the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations now officially in the books, some top African stars put their abilities on display for the last time on the weekend, and one individual rose as a giant among them with his performance.
It was almost as though Sebastien Haller's story was conjured up by a group of fiction writers who had brought their untamed imaginations together to compose a mesmerising story that will be told for a long time to come.
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His heroics saw an entire nation realise its dream of lifting the trophy upon the conclusion of the 2023 AFCON. Ivory Coast were down by a goal to nil in the final after a towering 38th-minute header by Nigeria skipper on the day William Troost-Ekong silenced the host nation's supporters, putting a dent in their hopes of becoming champions of the continent.
They were, however, restored in the second half when Franck Kessie's header from a corner found the back of the net. With things level, supporters of both nations on the edge of their seats with their nails in between their teeth, and full-time rapidly approaching, Haller stole not only the spotlight, but victory for his country when his determination saw him get on the end of a delivery into the box to direct the ball towards goal, floating beyond a helpless Stanley Nwabali.
The goal that won his side the tournament was Haller's second strike in what was only his fourth appearance at the competition. The lanky Borussia Dortmund striker missed all of his side's Group A encounters as he was ruled out with an ankle injury. Fortunately for him, the Elephants managed to escape the group stage despite picking up just three points in as many games.
Haller made his much-anticipated return to the pitch in the round of 16 fixture against Senegal, coming on as a substitute to help his team get over the line, and after that, the Elephants never looked back and neither did Haller.
About a year ago, it would have been hard to imagine the 29-year-old scoring the winner in an AFCON final because he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in July 2022. Against all odds, in February last year, he accomplished one of the biggest milestones in his life by beating it. Just six months later, he completed his return to football.
The attacker seems to be conquering mountain after mountain. Speaking after the final while surrounded by jubilant supporters in awe of what had just transpired, the Ivorian explained the impact he hopes the victory will have on the African nation.
"We dreamed of this moment so many times," Haller said, per the BBC.
"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."
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The striker's next challenge with the national team is to help them secure qualification for the next AFCON set to take place in Morocco. The Elephants will head into the tournament with the pressure of being the reigning champions, while they will also be looking to secure their spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup too.
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