'It goes beyond football, it's the story of a lifetime' - Nabil Bentaleb's sensational comeback for Lille

Eight months ago Nabil Bentaleb suffered a cardiac arrest - but in his return to the pitch for Lille on Sunday evening he capped off an incredible comeback journey when he scored Les Dogues' first goal of the evening.

It was like he was elevated by the feeling of life itself. After poking in Lille's opening goal against Rennes on Sunday evening, Nabil Bentaleb ran towards the Lillois bench bursting with emotion. He embraced Bruno Génésio, his teammates, the LOSC staff, and the team's doctor in a wave of jubilation which ensued after his first goal after only 227 seconds of play following his entry onto the pitch. Not only was it the joy of scoring, but also the joy of life.

It was his first-ever goal for Les Dogues, and it capped off a sensational comeback journey back to on-pitch action following a cardiac arrest which saw the midfielder out of action for eight months.

"This is a story worthy of a movie," admitted Bruno Génésio following the match, deeply moved. "It makes this moment even more joyful and emotional because Nabil is very, very well-liked in the squad. He deserved this. He believed in himself and never gave up. It’s an incredible story. Moments like this are rare in football. At first, I didn’t see who scored, but when I saw him running, I understood... It’s a moment that will be engraved in the history of the club, in his history, and in ours."

An emotional night of history in Rennes…

Bentaleb has been recovering for the last eight months following a cardiac arrest in training at the end of last season. Now playing with a pacemaker device to ensure his health whilst still playing football, the Algerian has embarked on a journey back from the brink.

"I trained on Thursday and knew I was physically ready to play," said Bentaleb to DAZN's reporters. "I didn’t know if I would come on, but I felt I was going to score. I just wanted to help the team. The coach put me in a more advanced position, and I visualized that goal…"

"It’s incredible. These are images that will stay with me forever," the LOSC midfielder continued. "There are emotions you can never forget. This is why we play football. For eight months, I imagined this return, thinking about how I could help the team. It’s easy to talk from the sidelines, but on the pitch, it’s different. I worked incredibly hard to get here... But the most important thing is my health. And of course, we got the three points."
 
The celebrations in Lille's changing room were loud and proud. "I’ve never experienced anything like this. It goes beyond football—it’s the story of a lifetime. I don’t think he’ll sleep tonight," said defender Diakité to L'Équipe. "This is beautiful. We never imagined this," added Lucas Chevalier, while club president Olivier Létang couldn’t hold back his tears. "When you know what he has been through, this is truly a gift from God," said Chuba Akpom.

WATCH: Bentaleb scores as Lille grab three points against Rennes

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>>Bentaleb the hero on return as Lille win in Rennes