David Brooks’ first Wales goal since beating cancer savoured by team-mates
David Brooks (right) celebrates scoring Wales’ second goal with Harry Wilson against Latvia in Riga (Tim Goode/PA)
Harry Wilson revealed how the Wales dressing room serenaded David Brooks with “his song” after the Bournemouth forward scored his first international goal since beating cancer.
Brooks was diagnosed with stage-two Hodgkin lymphoma in October 2021 while on Wales duty.
The 26-year-old announced he was cancer-free in May last year, but it has been a long road back to form and fitness as Brooks’ body took time to recover from the full effects of the disease.
So it was no surprise the entire Wales squad wildly celebrated the stoppage time goal that Brooks scored to seal a 2-0 European Championship qualifying victory over Latvia on Monday.
It was Brooks’ first Wales goal since scoring the winner in a Nations League tie against the Republic of Ireland in November 2020.
“When the news broke that he had his illness we were on camp and it hit us hard,” Wilson said after the Riga success.
“He’s a big part of the group. He’s been my room mate for years and it was tough for us all.
“To see how strong he’s been through it all, how he’s come back and regained his fitness. He’s had setbacks along the way and picked up a few injuries.
“His body was completely shut down for a while and it’s going to happen, but it’s how he’s dealt with those setbacks.
“Now he’s fully fit he showed his quality at the end. At that moment in the game a lot of players would have snatched at that chance, but he was so calm to wait for the keeper to go down and just lifted it over him.”
Wales supporters are used to belting out the ‘Brooks will tear you apart again’ song to the tune of Joy Division’s ‘Love Will Tear You Apart’ in tribute to him.
Wils
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