Manchester City star dedicates goal to late brother in heartfelt tribute
Jack Grealish was visibly emotional in a post-match interview after scoring for Manchester City against Leicester City. The goal carried deep personal significance, as it fell on the anniversary of his younger brother’s passing.
Grealish, making a rare start for City, opened the scoring just two minutes into the match with a composed finish from a Savinho assist. It marked his first Premier League goal since December 2023, breaking a 16-month drought. But beyond the relief of finding the net again, the moment held even greater meaning for the England international.
A Tribute to His Brother
Grealish’s younger brother, Keelan, tragically passed away on April 2, 2000, at just nine months old due to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Since then, Grealish has always honored his brother’s memory.
After scoring, the 28-year-old celebrated with a knee slide before looking to the sky in a touching tribute. Following the game, an emotional Grealish reflected on the significance of the goal, with his family in attendance.
“I felt like I deserved to play tonight, and I was just happy,” he told Sky Sports. “It was a nice day because my little brother passed away 25 years ago today. This day is always hard for my family. My mum and dad were here, and to score and to win was brilliant.”
A History of Honoring Keelan
This isn’t the first time Grealish has scored on his brother’s anniversary. He previously found the net for Aston Villa in a 4-2 victory over Birmingham City, a moment that was met with mixed reactions, including an unfortunate incident where a supporter was fined for offensive social media comments directed at him.
Emotional Social Media Post
Following the match, Grealish took to Instagram to share a heartfelt tribute. He posted a photo of Keelan’s headstone alongside an image of his celebration, captioning it: “With me always, especially today. That was for you, Keelan.”
The post was met with overwhelming support from teammates and fans, with City manager Pep Guardiola later describing Grealish as an “incredible human being.”
What’s Next for City?
Manchester City now shift their focus to Sunday’s highly anticipated Manchester Derby at Old Trafford, where they will face rivals Manchester United.
