Moroccan Star Offers to Pay Dentist Bill After Breaking Teen’s Tooth

It all began in the 13th minute of Saturday, October 17’s match between Hamburg and Stuttgart. Louis Lemke, a young HSV defender, slid into a tackle along the touchline. Bilal El Khannouss tried to jump over his legs, but his right foot accidentally struck the German’s face.

The collision was spectacular. Lemke was bleeding from the mouth and had to receive treatment on the pitch. Half of his upper right incisor had broken off. The 17-year-old nevertheless managed to return to the match.

“I have a dentist appointment straight away. But I’m not in pain,” he said after Hamburg’s 1-0 win, according to the German daily BILD.

A dentist’s bill and plenty of humour

By the next day, Louis Lemke had his smile back. On Instagram, the young defender posted two photos: one showing his broken tooth, the other his restored smile. He paired them with a wry comment about his injury and the three points won against Stuttgart.

Bilal El Khannouss came across the post and decided to respond. “Sorry, my friend,” the Morocco international wrote beneath his opponent’s photos.

The reply came quickly. “Don’t worry, bro. The tooth is back,” Lemke answered, evidently delighted to have his smile back.

The Moroccan did not stop there. “Send me the bill,” he replied, adding a laughing emoji. The offer to cover the dental costs amused both players and made headlines in the German sports press, including in Stuttgarter Nachrichten.

For El Khannouss, the match ended in defeat after he was substituted in the 67th minute. Louis Lemke, meanwhile, left the pitch missing half a tooth before celebrating his team’s victory. By the next day, his tooth had already been repaired. He could sum up his weekend in his own words: “Half a tooth down, three points in the bag.”