Nikos Plakias and Luis Enrique are two men from different worlds, but they share something in common: the loss of their children. The first lost his twin daughters in the Tempi tragedy of 2023, and the second, the coach of Paris Saint-Germain, lost his 9-year-old daughter, Hana, in 2019 after a brave battle with cancer.

Luis Enrique’s story touched the football world — and beyond — when the Spanish coach resigned from the national team in June 2019 to dedicate his time to his daughter, who passed away just two months later, in August of the same year.

Today, Luis Enrique is the coach of Paris Saint-Germain, one of the two finalists of this year’s Champions League final, and often speaks about his daughter with words filled with love, reminding us that life continues despite unbearable pain.

“My daughter loved parties so much, and I am sure she still parties wherever she is. I remember a fantastic photo I had with her at the final in Berlin, after winning the Champions League, placing a Barcelona flag on the field. I want to do the same with PSG. My daughter won’t be there physically, but she will be very important to me. I have the motivation to keep moving forward with what life gives me and to share it with my family. We all love beautiful and happy moments, but equally important is learning to overcome tragedies. We will meet again,” said the PSG coach.

Nikos Plakias, moved by Luis Enrique’s words, posted on his personal account what the Spanish coach said, ahead of the top European club final, answering the question of how a parent can stand again after losing a child.

“Luis Enrique lost his daughter Hana in 2019 after a five-month battle with cancer. His statement on how he continues to move forward in life is the answer to the question ‘how does a parent who lost their child stay upright?’,” wrote Nikos Plakias.