Morocco Players’ Tribute Brings Smile to Comatose Footballer Abdelhak Nouri

In an interview with the local media Nos, Abdelhak’s father expressed the emotion of the whole family after the tribute paid just after the match between the Moroccan team and Spain.

"He reacts with a smile, by raising his eyebrow or with a wink. That means he is happy. Sometimes he becomes emotional, but yesterday (after the tribute), he smiled," his father said, moved.

To recall, while playing a friendly match with Ajax Amsterdam against Werder Bremen in July 2017, Abdelhak "Appie" Nouri had suffered a cardiac arrest. Plunged into a vegetative state, he has since suffered from serious and permanent brain damage. After several years of suffering, Ajax Amsterdam has finally committed to paying 7.85 million euros as compensation to the player’s family and to retiring his number "34". A trophy in his name has also been established.