Emotional Bundesliga debut: first goal and heartfelt dedication

Berlin—When Koulie wheeled away in celebration after netting his first Bundesliga goal this weekend, the stadium expected a routine cheer. Instead, the 23-year-old striker raised both hands and silently formed the number seven with his fingers, a gesture that froze the crowd into respectful applause. Within seconds, television replays revealed the intent: seven Greek football fans who perished in a head-on collision in Romania last week were being honored on German soil.

The victims, all devoted followers of PAOK Thessaloniki, had set off from Greece on a road trip bound for France, eager to watch their club face Olympique Lyon in the UEFA Europa League. A fatal crash with a truck cut the journey short, plunging European football into mourning and prompting tributes from Athens to Lyon.

Koulie, who had never previously scored in Germany’s top flight, told club media he felt compelled to speak through football. “I didn’t plan the celebration,” he said. “When the ball hit the net, I thought of those seven lives and their families. Seven fingers felt like the only right answer.”

Bundesliga officials, Olympique Lyon, and PAOK all issued statements thanking the player for his “simple but powerful” commemoration. Social channels lit up with messages from supporters across borders, many posting the same raised-hand seven alongside the hashtag “PAOK7.”

The goal itself sealed a vital point for Koulie’s side, yet post-match interviews centered on solidarity rather than league tables. “Football is a small world,” Koulie noted. “When pain crosses borders, our game must show it understands.”

As stadiums observe a moment of silence across forthcoming European fixtures, Koulie’s first Bundesliga strike will be remembered less for its impact on standings and more for the humanity it displayed.