Back after 955 days
Probably the most emotional story of this EURO
Away from Austria's run of success at the EURO, there was a moving moment on Tuesday evening during the 0-0 draw between England and Slovenia: Josip Ilicic, who has been battling with mental health problems for years, celebrated his competitive comeback and was able to cheer about reaching the round of 16 at the end.
He's back again! 955 days after his last competitive match for Slovenia, Josip Ilicic was back in action for his home country. He came on as a substitute in the 75th minute of the European Championship match against England. The underdogs held on for a 0-0 draw and have now reached the last 16 of the European Championship for the first time.
A special moment for Ilicic - because for a long time soccer became a minor matter for him. His mental health caused him problems and severe depression threw him off track. Ilicic played for Atalanta Bergamo from 2017 to 2022. In 2020, the Italian city was hit particularly hard by coronavirus. The Slovenian was hit particularly hard by the effects of the pandemic, with images of military trucks transporting bodies away at night.
Now kicking back home
Just like the death of his former teammate Davide Astori. "I thought I would never wake up in the morning and see my family again," Ilicic told Sky Sports Italia. He was terrified of dying suddenly himself. His contract with Atalanta was terminated in 2022. He now plays for NK Maribor in his home country - and has now sensationally reached the last 16 of the EURO with his compatriots!
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