Lucas Vázquez dedicates his Pokal goal to the train victims

Lucas Vázquez, 35‑year‑old Spanish full‑back and former Real Madrid player, scored a spectacular volley in the 89th minute to seal Bayer Leverkusen's 5‑2 win over Nürnberg in the Pokal, dedicating it to the victims of the railway disaster in Urda after his team had started down 0‑2.

Tribute on the pitch

After scoring, the former Real Madrid player knelt on the grass, bowed his head and pointed to the sky with his right index finger as a sign of respect.

The footballer later shared a photograph of the moment on his Instagram account, accompanied by a black heart.

“For you! This victory and this goal, for the victims and their families! All my love on a day that hurts the Spanish so much,” wrote the Galician, nine‑time full international and five‑time Champions League winner.

With his goal and a solid performance, Lucas helped Leverkusen reach the round of 16 of the cup competition in Germany.

“It was not an easy match. We had some problems at the beginning. I think we found difficulties in many areas, both in ball progression and in possession. But, after the break, the team changed everything and showed a different side. In the second half we did a really good job,” the footballer explained after the match.