Morocco's Soufiane Rahimi, the star of the UAE's Al Ain, has broken his silence with a moving, emotional message following the tragic death of his father last Thursday.
Rahimi wrote on his Instagram account: "I write these words with tears in my eyes, still trying to take in the hardest news I have ever received in my life."
He continued: "Today I bid farewell to my father, the man who was the first to believe in me, the first to encourage me, and my first supporter and pillar in my life and my career, on the pitch and in everything in this life."
The forward added: "Today you departed, father, and a large part of me departed with you. You left in my heart a void that nothing can fill, and you left behind memories that will stay with me as long as I live. You have left my sight, but you will never leave my heart."
Rahimi noted: "As I watched this great procession that accompanied you to your final resting place, I realised how loved you were, and how deep a mark you left in people's hearts. Your funeral was not merely a farewell, but a testament to your love and your standing in the hearts of all who knew you. May God have mercy on all who accompanied you, all who prayed for you, and all who stood by our side on this difficult day."
He went on: "May God have abundant mercy upon you, my father, admit you to His spacious paradise, make your grave a garden among the gardens of paradise, illuminate your grave, ease your loneliness, and forgive all your sins, past and to come."
Rahimi concluded: "I love you, father, and your love and your memory will remain in my heart until the last day of my life. I will never forget you as long as I live, and I will keep carrying your message and your words with me in every step until God brings us together once more."