(Video) Hugo Ekitike and Ibou Konate share heartwarming on-field moment after Liverpool win
Ibrahima Konate and Hugo Ekitike shared a heartwarming moment on the pitch at Anfield after Liverpool’s 4-1 victory over Newcastle on Saturday night.
The French centre-back made his first appearance on the pitch since the heartbreaking loss of his father a few days ago, and he’d have made his family proud with the colossal performance that he put in tonight.
He marked his return to action by rounding off the scoring for the Reds in second-half stoppage time. While the goal was scrappy in its nature, its significance amid the 26-year-old’s personal circumstances was massive.
Konate and Ekitike share post-match embrace
Every single Liverpool player who was on the pitch at the time ran to Konate to embrace the defender, who understandably shed tears in what was a hugely poignant moment for him.
Once the final whistle had blown a few minutes later, the TV cameras captured Ekitike spotting his compatriot and running towards him before leaping into his arms as the two shared a heartfelt hug, with the centre-back by now smiling as he greeted his teammate.
Konate put in a colossal performance on his return to action
In purely pragmatic terms, this was a crucial victory for the Reds, who’d been waiting for their first Premier League win of 2026 and needed a response to Chelsea’s dramatic comeback over West Ham earlier in the evening.
Kopites could’ve been forgiven for fearing the worst when Anthony Gordon opened the scoring in the first half, but a quickfire double from Ekitike (ably assisted by Florian Wirtz for the equaliser) had Liverpool in front at the interval and they never looked back.
This match will be remembered for the emotional scenes which greeted Konate’s goal and the genuine affection from his teammates at a time of enormous personal grief, something that the 26-year-old will no doubt remember and appreciate eternally.
His performance throughout the game was rightly described by Steven Gerrard on TNT Sports as ‘immense‘, with the Frenchman making no fewer than 10 clearances as he consistently foiled Newcastle’s attack.
It was heartwarming to see the smile on the defender’s face as Ekitike ran to embrace him, and that moment will live in the memory just as much as the goals that Liverpool scored on a night to cherish at Anfield.
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