TBT #09 – Marama Vahirua makes history in Europe

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Today’s Throwback Thursday (TBT) episode will take us to a fateful day that is sadly remembered by humanity: September 11, 2001. No, this TBT is not going to talk about the attacks that killed thousand of people in the United States of America. Keep reading and come with us!

While the whole world was astonished with the biggest terrorist attack of all time, European football fans were pretty excited that day because the 2001-02 UEFA Champions League group stage was about to begin a few hours later in the same day.

It was a special night at Stade de la Beaujoire in France. Nantes FC was back to UEFA Champions League after missing the tournament for five straight seasons. Their previous participation in Europe’s major club football competition was historic, with the team reaching the semi-finals in the 1995/96 season. This night could not be better for Les Canaris, but it was, specially for Tahitian forward Marama Vahirua.

SEE ALSO
TBT #08 – When Fiji made history against Australia
TBT #07 – When Vanuatu faced the world
TBT #06 – Before Krishna, there was Totori

Thousands of people went to the stadium to watch the opening clash against 2000-01 Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven and the French crowd was surely happy with the 4-1 win after the final whistle.

However the big story was written by Vahirua in the 75th minute. After a throw-in, Stéphane Ziani crossed from the left and the Tahitian forward found the net to score Nantes’ fourth goal and one of the most important goals of the history of Tahitian football. You can watch the goal in the link below:

Vahirua became the first player from Tahiti to score in the UEFA Champions League history. An amazing accomplishment for him and his homeland. Nantes finished the group stage as Group D leaders, but they did not manage to repeat the 1995/96 campaign as they were knocked out in the upcoming stage.

It has been almost 19 years since Vahirua wrote his name in football’s history but no other Tahitian player ever did what he did that night.