Sebastien Haller: A cancer survivor on the cusp of AFCON glory with Ivory Coast

July 18, 2022 is a date Sebastien Haller will never forget.

It was supposed to be a normal training day as Borussia Dortmund began their pre-season tour of Switzerland, with Haller joining the squad less than two weeks after arriving from Ajax for £31million.

But it proved to be anything but, as the Ivorian striker reported feeling unwell in the morning, and after further examinations he was diagnosed with a testicular tumour, that was later confirmed to be cancer, just hours later.

Fast forward 18 months, and he is about to play in the Africa Cup of Nations final for Ivory Coast against Nigeria.

Yet representing his country on the biggest stage was unthinkable in the hours after his devastating diagnosis.

Well-wishes poured in for the popular forward, with Ajax's players holding up their former team-mate's shirt number before beating Red Bull Salzburg in a friendly the following day.

Haller wasn't kidding himself, though, and knew he had a huge battle on his hands.

Still, he was determined to stay positive, and later that week he was pictured in hospital giving a thumbs-up after beginning treatment.

'I wanted to let you know that Step 1 has been completed!' he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. It was clear that Haller had every intention of fighting his way through right from the start.

Just over a month later, Haller appeared at an awards ceremony after finishing the previous season as the Eredivisie's top scorer at Ajax.

In his acceptance speech, Haller thanked his friends and family for their unwavering support after starting chemotherapy, as he admitted 'I'm lucky to have people around me'.

He wiped away tears on an emotional evening, as he delivered a powerful message of defiance.

After undergoing two operations,