The return had been glorious. Afonso Duarteโs first goal after his injury echoed through the stadium like a
ย ย thunderclap, a moment that Lisbon would never forget. For weeks, the headlines praised his resilience, his
ย ย courage, his โmiracle comeback.โ His jersey sold out in hours, and children once again filled playgrounds
ย ย chanting his name as they kicked battered footballs into rusty goals. He was no longer just a rising starโhe
ย ย was a symbol of hope.