He scored, but his heart didn’t race. Hugo Ekitike found the net in Liverpool’s 5-1 Champions League demolition of Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday night — but when it came time to celebrate, the French striker stood still.
Ekitike’s gesture was one of pure class. Facing his former club — the one that revived his career and paved his way to a blockbuster move to Anfield — the 23-year-old refused to celebrate.
“Too much respect”
“Impossible. I can’t celebrate here,” Ekitike told Canal+ after the match. “They gave me so much, they helped me so much. I could never celebrate against them, I have too much respect.”
Transferred to Liverpool last summer for €95 million, Ekitike hasn’t forgotten where it all began. His restraint has been widely praised in Germany, seen as a rare show of gratitude in modern football.
Even in the age of megadeals and social media spotlights, respect still means something and Hugo Ekitike just proved it.
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