Grealish dedicates long-awaited goal to late brother in emotional match victory

Jack Grealish (30, Manchester City) dedicated the goal he scored after 16 months to his brother, who is watching from above.

Manchester City defeated Leicester City 2-0 in the 30th round of the 2024-2025 Premier League (PL) held at Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, on the 3rd (Korean time). With this victory, Manchester City climbed to 4th place with 51 points (15 wins, 6 draws, 9 losses).

Grealish's opening goal, scored just 2 minutes into the match, determined the outcome. Manchester City then maintained their lead without conceding, securing a convincing victory with an additional goal from Omar Marmoush in the 29th minute of the first half. In the second half, they did not allow a single shot from Leicester.

Above all, Grealish's goal, which came after about 16 months, was a welcome sight. He hadn't scored in the league since the match against Crystal Palace in December 2023.

However, Grealish succeeded in breaking a long silence by shaking the net against Leicester on this day. Receiving a pass from Xaviou, he scored with an accurate right-foot shot and celebrated with a sliding ceremony. It was his long-awaited first league goal of the season.

After the final whistle, Grealish revealed that he dedicated this goal to his brother, who passed away 25 years ago. Exactly 25 years ago, in April 2004, his brother Kylan died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). At that time, Kylan was just 9 months old, and Grealish was 4 years old.

In an interview with 'Sky Sports,' Grealish said, "My younger brother passed away 25 years ago today. This day is a tough day for the family. Mom and Dad were at the stadium. So it was really great to score and win."

Grealish also left a tribute to Kylan, who became a star in the sky, on social media. He shared a photo of himself reaching out to the sky in celebration and a photo of Kylan's gravestone. He added, "This day is always special to me. That goal was for you, Kylan," along with a star emoji.

Coach Pep Guardiola said, "Grealish is an amazing person. He is really kind. I can't even imagine how difficult it is for him to be with his mom, dad, and sister on this anniversary. It's good that they remember him today." Grealish is also known for his good relationship with his 8-year-old sister, Holly, who has cerebral palsy.

Meanwhile, Grealish is having a tough time at Manchester City. He joined Manchester City in 2021 for a transfer fee of £100 million (approximately 191.7 billion won) after leaving Aston Villa. However, he left a disappointing impression as he struggled to fully integrate into Guardiola's system during his first season.

The 2022-2023 season was different. Grealish played as a starting winger and contributed to Manchester City's first UEFA Champions League (UCL) victory in the club's history, along with winning the Premier League and FA Cup. Thanks to this, Manchester City achieved a historic 'treble' and had its best year.

However, Grealish began to struggle again. He found himself on the bench, overshadowed by 'rookie' Jeremy Doku. Naturally, he became distant from the England national team, missing out on the Euro 2024 qualifiers. Additionally, his intoxicated appearances have consistently captured attention off the field.

This season, Grealish has not been able to turn things around either. He has only scored 1 goal and provided 1 assist in 17 league matches, and in all competitions, he has 3 goals and 5 assists in 28 matches. His inclusion in the starting lineup marks the first time since the match against Aston Villa in December last year. Grealish, who is contracted with Manchester City until 2027, is reported to have a high possibility of transfer this upcoming summer.

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