Nicolo Zaniolo, the Italian footballer, shared a heartfelt gesture on Feb. 17, 2023, regarding his new jersey at his current club, Fiorentina. Zaniolo revealed that he chose to wear the number 17 jersey in honor of Muhammed Emin Ozkan, his former Turkish teammate, who tragically lost his life in the devastating earthquakes that hit southern Türkiye on February 6, 2023.
Zaniolo explained that he promised Muhammed’s father, Dogan Ozkan, that he would wear the number 17 in tribute to his son, who was just 17 years old when he died. Zaniolo had met Dogan Ozkan during Galatasaray’s training camp in Antalya, Türkiye, after Zaniolo had transferred to the Turkish club earlier in the 2022-2023 season. The Italian footballer had worn the number 17 jersey at Galatasaray as well.
On social media, the Italian Embassy in Ankara expressed gratitude for Zaniolo’s thoughtful gesture in remembering Muhammed, reflecting the emotional impact the tragic loss had on the broader community.
The Feb. 6, 2023 earthquakes caused devastation across eleven Turkish provinces, resulting in the loss of more than 53,000 lives, leaving over 107,000 injured, and displacing millions of people across the region.
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