Black Stars defender Joseph Aidoo was visibly moved by the outpouring of support from his Celta Vigo teammates as he returned to football after a nine-month injury layoff.

The 28-year-old played 16 minutes in Celta Vigo’s 1-0 preseason victory over Portuguese side Gil Vicente, coming on as a substitute in the 74th minute to replace Carl Starfelt.

Aidoo had suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon early in the 2023-2024 season and underwent an extensive rehabilitation process to regain full fitness.

After the game, several teammates embraced Aidoo and congratulated him, while the Tema-born player wiped away tears as he absorbed the moment and walked off to applause from fans.

Before his injury-riddled campaign last season, Aidoo was a key component of Celta’s team, playing 32 and 35 games in consecutive seasons in Spain’s La Liga. He was also part of Ghana’s squad at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.